By Asian football powerhouses Japan, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia secured crucial victories in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday, while Australia stumbled to a goalless draw against Indonesia in Jakarta.
Japan maintained their perfect start in Group C, thrashing Bahrain 5-0 in Riffa. Ayase Ueda and Hidemasa Morita each netted twice, with Koki Ogawa adding the fifth. The comprehensive win puts Hajime Moriyasu’s side firmly atop the group with maximum points from two matches.
“Our team showed great efficiency today,” Moriyasu said. “We’re off to a strong start, but there’s still a long road ahead in qualifying.”
In Group B, South Korea overcame Oman 3-1 in Muscat, alleviating pressure on head coach Hong Myung-bo after their opening draw with Palestine. Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min scored a crucial late goal, sandwiched between strikes from Hwang Hee-chan and Joo Min-kyu. Jung Seung-hyun’s own goal had briefly leveled the match for Oman.
“It wasn’t our best performance, but securing three points was vital,” Son told reporters post-match. “We’ll build on this result moving forward.”
Saudi Arabia, under Roberto Mancini’s guidance, fought back to defeat China 2-1 in Dalian despite playing with 10 men for much of the match. Hassan Kadish headed in two goals, including a 90th-minute winner, after Mohammed Kanno’s red card for violent conduct.
Australia’s campaign hit a snag as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Indonesia in Jakarta. The Socceroos, looking to bounce back from their opening loss to Bahrain, came closest when teenage forward Nestory Irankunda struck the post in the 33rd minute.
“It’s a disappointing result, but credit to Indonesia for their defensive organization,” Australia coach Graham Arnold said. “We’ll need to be sharper in our upcoming fixtures.”
In Group A, Asian champions Qatar were frustrated by North Korea in a 2-2 draw played in Vientiane, Laos. Despite Jang Kuk Chol’s early red card for North Korea, Kang Kuk Chol’s 50th-minute free-kick secured a point for the underdogs.
Elsewhere in the group, Iran edged the United Arab Emirates 1-0 thanks to Mehdi Ghayedi’s injury-time strike in the first half. Uzbekistan tops the group alongside Iran after Oston Urunov’s 72nd-minute goal clinched a 3-2 victory over Kyrgyzstan.
The night’s results have intensified the competition across all groups, with traditional powerhouses asserting their dominance while smaller nations continue to show improved competitiveness on the Asian stage.
The third round of Asian World Cup qualifying continues next month, with teams vying for spots in the expanded 48-team 2026 FIFA World Cup to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Credit: flashscore.com.gh
