Takumi Minamino played a cross that Behich failed to cut out for Japan’s opener, and Tanaka was on hand to drill the ball past goalkeeper Maty Ryan.īut the Socceroos hit back in the second half, and thought they had been awarded a penalty when Hidemasa Morita tripped Hrustic. “It was a very difficult game, but the fact that the players kept going to the end was down to the support they got from the crowd,” he said.Īo Tanaka gave Japan the perfect start in the eighth minute, only for Australia’s Ajdin Hrustic to equalise with a 69th-minute free-kick.īut Behich turned the ball into his own net with five minutes remaining, after Takuma Asano’s shot hit the post. Japanese media had speculated that Moriyasu could lose his job unless his side beat in-form Australia, and the manager made a special point of applauding fans after the final whistle in Saitama. We have to make sure we use this win and build on it.”

“It was a great win but we still have a lot of tough games to come. We are determined to get to the World Cup and we showed that tonight.

Group A is tight though after Tottenham star Son Heung-min scored for South Korea before they conceded with 14 minutes remaining against Iran.Įmbattled Japan boss Moriyasu said: “We kept fighting until the end and never gave up. Japan still trail Australia and Saudi Arabia in the battle for the group’s two automatic spots for Qatar 2022, but the win blew Group B wide open and ended the visitors’ record of 11 straight victories in one World Cup qualifying campaign. Japan went into the crunch home match having lost two of its opening three games in Group B, but took three crucial points thanks to an 85th-minute own goal from Australia’s Aziz Behich. SAITAMA, Japan - Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu urged his side to build on the 2-1 win over Australia that jolted its World Cup qualifying campaign into life as Son Heung-min scored in South Korea’s 1-1 draw with Iran on Tuesday.

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