Japan have dominated the Socceroos in the first half of their World CUp qualification clash at Optus Stadium, however the score remains 0-0 at the break.
The Blue Samurai had the best chances of the clash, with a Yuito Suzuki shot going wide after a direct run in the middle of the park.
“Japan’s most dangerous moment yet, and Yuito Suzuki could not find the net,” Simon Hill said.
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“The first real scare for Australia.”
Next it was Bristol City’s Yu Hirakawa with a low strike that tested Socceroos keeper and captain Maty Ryan, who looked to have it covered with a big dive.
On the strike of halftime, Japan had a host of smaller chances with forced Ryan to make one save, but they were kept scoreless in a big boost for the hosts.
Outside of those two big chances, Australia were unable to capitalise from a Ryan Teague corner that was flicked on by FC Pauli’s Connor Metcalfe, which went wide.
Japan had a staggering 70 per cent of possession in the first 45 minutes, with seven shots and one on target.
“They’ve looked overburned in this first half, nervous,” Hill said of the Socceroos’ first half display.
“They have just got so much more improvement in them… but it’s the big stage tonight.”
Australia can virtually clinch an automatic spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a drought-breaking win over an under-strength Japan.
The Socceroos are three points and +9 goal difference clear of the next-best nation, Saudi Arabia, with two matches left in this phase of World Cup qualifying.
A win therefore would either clinch a spot in the tournament, if Saudi Arabia fails to beat Bahrain overnight, or virtually guarantee it with one match to come against the Saudis in Jeddah next week.
A draw could also be enough to clinch a World Cup berth for the Socceroos, if Saudi Arabia and Indonesia (vs China) both lose overnight.
SOCCEROOS XI
1. Maty Ryan (C)
3. Lewis Miller
23. Alessandro Circati
2. Milos Degenek
21. Cameron Burgess
16. Aziz Behich
13. Aiden O’Neill
17. Ryan Teague
8. Connor Metcalfe
6. Martin Boyle
11. Brandon Borrello
Australia’s Socceroos can virtually clinch a spot at the World Cup tonight, in a moment Adam Taggart says has similarities to John Aloisi’s iconic penalty vs Uruguay.Source: FOX SPORTS
Game preview via Luke Doherty
No-one will ever forget the sight of John Aloisi steaming down the sideline at Stadium Australia in 2005, a grin from ear-to-ear, his jersey rotating in wild circles above his head and delirium erupting all around him.
His penalty against Uruguay that sealed qualification for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, ending 32 years of pain and near misses, now sits alongside some of the greatest moments in Australian sport. Think Cathy Freeman at the Sydney 2000 Olympics and Australia II winning the America’s Cup in 1983. Tonight, when the Socceroos step out onto Perth Stadium to face Japan in a World Cup Qualifier, there’s a sense within the squad that this is another one of those moments. Among loved ones and themselves they’ve spoken about it. There’s no point shielding from the pressure. The moment has arrived. The only tonic is to embrace it.
“I think everyone knows the John Aloisi penalty,” said Socceroos striker Adam Taggart.
“It’s replayed over and over again, and I was trying to explain to my mum the other day that the game is a similar situation to that.”
Of course, should the side not rise to meet the moment there is a back-up plan and another chance to redeem themselves.
For Aloisi and his teammates there was not a tomorrow or at least the next tomorrow was going to be four agonising years away.
Socceroos out to end Japan hoodoo | 01:18
If this side stumbles against the Samurai Blue, then automatic World Cup qualification can still be sealed on Wednesday morning next week against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah.
“There’s no thought of that,” said Socceroos coach Tony Popovic.
“That’s not in the present. What is in the present is Japan. What follows that is obviously a different situation and we’re just focusing on the now.
“The now is Japan.”
There’s a sense that getting the job done at the first time of asking on home soil and against an opponent they haven’t beaten since 2009 would symbolise the Socceroos maturing.
So often has the fate of the senior men’s side hinged on a play-off fixture that to seal a spot in a more routine fashion would evoke a similar sense of relief and elation.
“It’s a very special opportunity,” said Taggart.
“Everyone understands the magnitude of the game.”
A win against Japan combined with Saudi Arabia failing to beat Bahrain in Riffa in the early hours of Friday morning would stop the endless run of qualifying equations. It would be job done and spot sealed at FIFA’s first ever 48-team World Cup.
If Australia draws and Saudi Arabia and Indonesia both lose, then that will also be enough. There’s even a scenario where back-to-back defeats secures qualification based on other results and while that would be an unpalatable end the goal would still have been achieved.
Gauci: ‘Full faith’ Socceroos make WC | 02:16
“We certainly are aware of what these games mean to us and mean to Australia and to every football fan out there supporting the Socceroos,” said Popovic.
Japan, who have already booked their spot at the World Cup and can’t be caught at the top of Group C, have sent an impressive but not full-strength squad to Western Australia.
Popovic is desperate to end what has now stretched to 16 years between victories over Australia’s biggest regional rival. The run might’ve ended in the coaches first window in charge in October last year if not for a Cameron Burgess own goal in Saitama.
“We’re a much better team than we were in October,” said Popovic.
“We will break (the streak), definitely. At some point Australia will beat Japan, I have no doubt, and we have a chance to do that (tonight) and we want to take that opportunity.”
The last time the Socceroos beat Japan they came from behind to win a World Cup Qualifier 2-1 thanks to a second half double from Tim Cahill in-front of almost 70,000 people at the MCG in 2009.
The stage is set for someone else to be the hero tonight.
AloJapan.com