Japan made a commanding start to the third round of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, overwhelming China with a 7-0 victory, while Australia faced an unexpected setback, losing 1-0 to Bahrain at home.
In Saitama, Japan’s performance was powered by Premier League stars Kaoru Mitoma and Wataru Endo. Brighton winger Mitoma, returning from injury for his first appearance with Japan since the Asian Cup in January, scored with a first-half header after Liverpool’s Endo opened the scoring.
“The home support was overwhelming and that allowed us to play well from the first whistle,” Mitoma said, expressing relief at his goal.
Takumi Minamino added two goals after halftime, with Junya Ito, Daizen Maeda, and Takefusa Kubo also finding the net in a dominant display by Hajime Moriyasu’s side. The result highlighted China’s struggles, having barely qualified for this round due to a superior head-to-head record over Thailand.
In a surprising turn of events on the Gold Coast, Australia suffered a 1-0 defeat to Bahrain. The match seemed destined for a scoreless draw until an 89th-minute own goal by Harry Souttar. Australia’s chances diminished after striker Kusini Yengi received a red card in the 77th minute for a high kick.
“It’s a learning curve for the players. It wasn’t our night,” Australia coach Graham Arnold commented post-match.
In Seoul, Palestine earned a notable 0-0 draw against South Korea. Despite being ranked 96th to South Korea’s 23rd in FIFA rankings, Palestine held their own in an open contest. The team, making their debut in this qualifying stage and playing their home matches abroad due to the war in Gaza, created several chances, including a disallowed goal in the 22nd minute.
The top two teams from each of the three Asian groups will secure places at the expanded 48-team World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Other matches in the qualifiers saw Saudi Arabia, under Roberto Mancini, hosting Indonesia, while Iraq faced Oman, and Jordan played Kuwait.
These results set the stage for an intriguing qualifying campaign, with established teams facing challenges and underdogs showing their potential on the road to the 2026 World Cup.
