Two own-goals resulted in a 1-1 draw on Tuesday as Japan and Australia shared points in Asian World Cup qualifying.
Shogo Taniguchi accidentally gave Australia the lead just before the hour mark at Saitama Stadium, but Cameron Burgess of Australia quickly leveled the score, allowing Japan to remain at the top of Group C with 10 points from four matches, five points ahead of the Socceroos in second place.
Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, currently in third and fourth, are set to play later on Tuesday.
“I’m very proud of that performance – the calmness and composure that we showed in defense,” said Australia midfielder Jackson Irvine. “It’s a top foundation for us to move forward.”
Japan, which has qualified for every World Cup since 1998, started strong but had trouble creating clear chances despite having most of the ball. Takefusa Kubo had the best opportunity, shooting into the side netting from close range, while Kaoru Mitoma from Brighton had a shot deflected wide.
The second half continued in a similar way, but just after former Liverpool player Takumi Minamino headed wide, Australia surprised the home team by scoring in the 58th minute with a goal that came unexpectedly.
Lewis Miller sent a cross from the right into the box, and Taniguchi tried to clear it but ended up deflecting the ball past diving goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, delighting the few visiting fans.
This was the first time Japan had conceded a goal in 10 qualifiers in the second and third rounds, but they equalized after 76 minutes thanks to another own-goal. Keito Nakamura dribbled down the left side, and his low cross hit Burgess, sending the ball into the net from close range.
Japan pushed hard to find a winning goal and keep its perfect record in qualification but had to settle for a draw.
Australia remains in second place with five points, ahead of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, who played to a 0-0 draw in Jeddah.
China earned its first points with a 2-1 victory over Indonesia in Qingdao, but still sits at the bottom of the group due to goal difference. Goals from Abduweli Behram and Zhang Yuning in the first half gave the hosts control, but a late goal from Indonesia’s Thom Haye made for a tense finish.
The top two teams from each of the three six-team groups in the third round will qualify automatically for the World Cup, while the third and fourth-place teams will move on to compete for two additional spots.
In another important match in Group B, South Korea defeated Iraq 3-2 in Yongin to take a three-point lead.
Oh Se-hun scored to put South Korea ahead just before halftime, but Aymen Hussein equalized for Iraq with a stunning bicycle kick six minutes later. Oh Hyeong-gyu and Lee Jae-sung scored late to secure the victory, putting South Korea on track for its 11th straight World Cup appearance.
South Korea has 10 points, three points ahead of Iraq and Jordan, which won 4-0 against Oman. The Palestinian team remains at the bottom after a 2-2 draw with Kuwait.
In Group A, Iran won 4-1 against Qatar to move to the top on goal difference over Uzbekistan, which narrowly defeated the United Arab Emirates 1-0. Kyrgyzstan also picked up its first points by beating North Korea 1-0, moving into fifth place.
