SAITAMA, Japan — In-form Japan took a huge step towards
World Cup qualification with a 2–0 home win over group leaders Saudi Arabia on
Tuesday.
اضافة اعلان
Liverpool forward
Takumi Minamino gave the
four-time Asian champions the lead midway through the first half, before Junya
Ito bagged another shortly after the break in Saitama, north of Tokyo.
The Saudis went into the game four points
clear of Japan at the top of Group B, knowing a win would seal their place in
Qatar.
But Japan's victory instead set up a tense
battle for the two automatic qualifying spots, with two games remaining and
Australia also still in the hunt.
The Socceroos were in action away to Oman
later in the day.
Japan face Australia in a high-stakes
showdown in Sydney on March 24, before finishing their campaign at home to
bottom side Vietnam.
"If we keep winning then nothing anyone
else does can affect us," said Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu.
"I want us to prepare as best we can
for the Australia game so that we can win and claim our World Cup spot
ourselves."
Japan started the qualifying campaign with
two losses from their first three games, but have now won five in a row.
Again shrugging off the absence of key
defensive pair
Maya Yoshida and Takehiro Tomiyasu, the home side started
strongly and took the lead in the 31st minute.
Ito burst clear of a Saudi defender down the
right to square a low cross that Yuya Osako left for Minamino, and the
Liverpool man's shot looped up off the goalkeeper and in.
Ito then got himself on the scoresheet — his
fourth goal in four games — slamming the ball home from the edge of the area in
the 50th minute.
The Saudis, who were rocked by a 23rd-minute
injury to midfielder Abdulelah al-Malki, next travel to China before finishing
their campaign at home to Australia.
"We knew before starting these
qualifiers that it would be a big fight between these three teams," said
Saudi manager Herve Renard.
"There are still some very important
games for the three teams to make the difference and qualify for the World
Cup."
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