Aziz Behich scores 90th minute screamer to all but send Socceroos to the World Cup

A 90th minute Aziz Behich strike has all but secured direct qualification for the FIFA World Cup after the Socceroos’ 1-0 win against rivals Japan.

A 90th minute Aziz Behich strike has all but secured direct qualification for the FIFA World Cup after the Socceroos’ 1-0 win against rivals Japan at a packed Optus Stadium in Perth.

Australia’s coach Tony Popovic would not care less that Japan opted to play a young and experienced team in their FIFA World Cup 2026 third round Asian qualifier.

Having qualified in March for next year’s World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico, Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu played an unrecognisable team at Optus Stadium.

The resultant 1-0 win for Australia wasn’t pretty, and Popovic would be more concerned about that.

But he now has 12 months to do something about it.

The Aziz Behich goal in the 90th minute – his first international goal in 13 years – means the Socceroos can now book their flights to next year’s World Cup finals.

They just have to hold off paying for them until after the final third round qualifying games have been played.

The Socceroos would seriously have to mess things up to miss out on playing in their sixth consecutive World Cup.

Only a big win over Bahrain by Saudi Arabia, played in the early hours of Friday morning, will keep Australia vulnerable.

Aziz Behich scored the winner for the Socceroos. Picture: Getty Images

RADAR OFF TARGET

The Behich goal was the only time Australia looked like scoring.

Despite the difference in international experience, the ball was stuck in Australia’s half for most of the game. Japan enjoyed an impressive 71 per cent possession in the first half and not much less in the second.

Japan completed 626 passes during the game, to Australia’s 285.

While the visitors had their chances, they rarely troubled Socceroos keeper Mat Ryan.

Ohashi Suzuki sprayed Japan’s first real opportunity to score from the top of the box.

But that didn’t come until the 28th minute. It was one of seven shots Japan had in the opening half.

Alessandro Circati contests for the ball. Picture: Getty Images

Australia had two, with Connor Metcalfe’s headers from a Ryan Teague corner kick the only highlight the home team provided in the opening 45 minutes.

Japan looked the better side for 90 minutes, generating 13 shots on goal and had eight corners.

It was much quieter at the other end, the Socceroos having just six shots and one set piece from corner kicks.

BABY BLUES

Samurai Blues coach Hajime Moriyasu used the clash to test out a very young squad.

Only one of his starting 11 also started in the 1-1 draw with the Socceroos in October.

Daichi Kamada, who plays with Crystal Palace in the Premier League, might also have been the only player who started that is guaranteed a spot in Japan’s World Cup squad.

Japan’s starting 11 included three international debutants and another six players with four or less international caps to their names.

Daichi Kamada controls the ball for Japan. Picture: Getty Images

WHAT CAN STILL GO WRONG

The win does leave the Socceroos with a firm grip of second spot on the Group C table.

The top two teams after Tuesday’s games qualify directly for the World Cup. Japan had top spot confirmed before arriving in Perth this week.

Australia will be least three points ahead of third-placed Saudi Arabia and four in front of Indonesia, regardless of results of other games that were played overnight.

A massive win to Saudi Arabia over Bahrain could leave the Socceroos vulnerable, if they suffer a huge loss in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

Aziz Behich and the Socceroos celebrate. Picture: Getty Images

But Tony Popovic’s team would have to seriously mess things up to miss out on playing in the World Cup next year.

Australia is guaranteed a spot in the next stage of World Cup qualifying, no matter what happens on Tuesday.

There’s a fourth stage of AFC qualifying, where six teams will compete, where at least two will qualify directly for the World Cup.

Relive the action here.

Originally published as Aziz Behich scores 90th minute screamer to all but send Socceroos to the World Cup