XIAMEN, China — Japan is on the verge of securing its eighth consecutive World Cup appearance following a 3-1 victory over China in their Asian qualifying match on Tuesday, moving them 10 points ahead in their group.
Though Japan previously defeated China 7-0 at home in September, the team faced challenges in the early stages of this match, only managing to score their first goal through a Koki Ogawa header in the 39th minute. Ko Itakura then added a second goal before halftime, giving Japan a significant lead.
As the second half commenced, there was renewed hope for home supporters when Lin Liangming scored a goal for China early on. However, Ogawa quickly restored Japan’s two-goal advantage by netting his second goal soon after.
With this latest win, Japan has amassed 16 points from six matches, leaving them with four remaining games in Group C. Currently, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and China each sit at six points, along with Australia, which has the opportunity to gain three points and move into second place by winning against last-placed Bahrain later on Tuesday.
In an unexpected turn of events, Indonesia pulled off a shocking 2-0 victory against Saudi Arabia in Jakarta. Marselino Ferdinan, who plays for Oxford United in England’s second tier, scored one goal in each half, leading Indonesia to their historic win in World Cup qualifying, their first since 1938 when they competed as Dutch East Indies.
“Indonesia certainly earned this victory,” remarked Saudi Arabia coach Herve Renard. “We still have four matches ahead, and while the competition will be challenging for us, it will be equally tough for everyone involved.”
The win marked Indonesia’s first in the third round of the qualifiers, prompting goalkeeper Maarten Paes to express immense pride for his team and country. “Marselino scored two fantastic goals, and our defense held strong,” he stated. “Recognizing the importance of this match, achieving a win boosts our confidence significantly. The competition in our group is tightly contested.”
In Group A, Uzbekistan made strides towards their first World Cup qualification by narrowly defeating North Korea 1-0. Uzbekistan secured the victory through a first-half goal from Abbosbek Fayzullaev, while Jong Il Gwon missed a crucial late penalty for North Korea, who play their home games in Laos.
To progress to the World Cup, the top two teams from each of the three groups of six will qualify automatically, while the six teams finishing in third and fourth place will advance to the subsequent qualification stage.