Australia's Socceroos secured a 'miraculous' 1-0 win against Japan in Perth, with Aziz Behich scoring in the 90th minute. This victory significantly boosts their chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, placing them three points ahead of Saudi Arabia in Group C and making qualification 'all but' certain.
Not pretty, not fun but Socceroos slog ends with miraculous win amid late drama
AustraliaWorld Cup 2026 qualifiersSportsAustralia sport
AI Summary
TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Australia's Socceroos secured a 'miraculous' 1-0 win against Japan in Perth, with Aziz Behich scoring in the 90th minute. This victory significantly boosts their chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, placing them three points ahead of Saudi Arabia in Group C and making qualification 'all but' certain.
Trending- 1 Thursday: Australia played Japan in Perth, winning 1-0 with a 90th-minute goal.
- 2 Thursday: Saudi Arabia beat Bahrain 2-0.
- 3 Tuesday: Socceroos will play Saudi Arabia in Jeddah.
- Australia is now three points ahead of Saudi Arabia in Group C
- Australia is 'all but' qualified for the 2026 World Cup
- The team's defensive strength under Popovic was highlighted
What: Australia's Socceroos secured a 1-0 victory against Japan in a World Cup qualifier, with a late goal, significantly improving their chances for 2026 World Cup qualification.
When: Thursday (match date), 90th minute (Behich's goal), Tuesday (next match against Saudi Arabia).
Where: Perth (match location), Optus Stadium (Perth), King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Jeddah (next match location).
Why: To qualify for the 2026 World Cup by securing a top spot in their qualification group.
How: Aziz Behich scored in the 90th minute from a Riley McGree cut-back, securing a narrow win despite the team being outplayed for much of the game. The team's strong defense under Tony Popovic was key.