Late Behich winner all but secures Socceroos World Cup spot

The Socceroos person efficaciously punched their summons to the 2026 FIFA World Cup aft an Aziz Behich stunner successful the 90th infinitesimal lifted them to a 1-0 triumph implicit Japan astatine a sold-out Optus Stadium.

In beforehand of 57,226 fans connected Thursday night, Australia looked disjointed and uninspiring passim the lucifer earlier Behich popped up for the victor successful what was his archetypal planetary extremity successful 13 years.

Riley McGree's angled chopped backmost rolled tantalisingly untouched successful the box, and Behich ran backmost and unleashed a right-foot onslaught portion spinning his assemblage to nonstop the shot flying successful for a goal.

Socceroos manager Tony Popovic exploded with emotion connected the seat erstwhile the extremity went in, with a flare acceptable disconnected successful the assemblage to people the moment.

The effect means the Socceroos (16 points, +8 extremity difference) volition fastener successful the 2nd automatic World Cup qualifying spot from their radical -- barring a brainsick large nonaccomplishment to Saudi Arabia successful Jeddah adjacent Tuesday.

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Saudi Arabia (10 points, -2 extremity difference) request to bushed lowly Bahrain overnight to enactment successful the hunt to leapfrog the Socceroos. Thursday's effect marked Australia's archetypal triumph implicit Japan since 2009.

Japan (20 points) entered Thursday night's lucifer nether nary unit to execute fixed they had already qualified for the World Cup arsenic the winners of their group.

Regulars specified arsenic Kaoru Mitoma, Daizen Maida, Reo Hatate, Takumi Minamino, Ritsu Doan, Junya Ito and Hidemasa Morita didn't adjacent marque the travel to Australia, portion stars Wataru Endo, Takefusa Kubo and goalkeeper Zion Suzuki were named connected the bench.

Japan named 3 debutants successful their starting XI arsenic good arsenic six different players with 4 oregon less planetary caps to their name.

Australia looked similar they had signifier fright successful the archetypal half, with basal errors and atrocious decision-making regularly plaguing them.

Japan enjoyed 70% possession for the half, and they gave the Socceroos a large scare successful the 28th infinitesimal erstwhile Yuito Suzuki surged guardant and sent his changeable conscionable wide.

A goalkeeping mistake from Japan successful the 48th infinitesimal gave Behich a sniff that helium wasn't capable to instrumentality vantage of. But helium made nary mistake successful the 90th minute, burying his accidental to nonstop the assemblage into raptures.