FIFA World Cup: Japan and Saudi Arabia qualify for the World Cup

Japan qualified for the World Cup for the seventh time in a row after beating Australia 2-0 in Sydney on Thursday. The defeat also ended Aus...

Japan qualified for the World Cup for the seventh time in a row after beating Australia 2-0 in Sydney on Thursday. The defeat also ended Australia's chance of qualifying automatically. With this result Saudi Arabia also qualified from Asia Group B. Japan were on top of the group with 21 points, two points above Saudi Arabia. The Australian team, however, remains in the race to qualify from the third place. But now they will have to play a playoff against the third place team in Group A (currently the United Arab Emirates) and a final match against a South American opponent.

Both goals for Japan were scored by substitute Kaoru Mitoma in the end, while the team missed several chances before Takumi Minamino came close to scoring five times. On Tuesday, Japan will host Vietnam, who are bottom of the group with one win, while Australia take on Saudi Arabia in Jeddah.

- KTP Bureau