Fearless Socceroos ready to take on Japan

ADELAIDE – Tony Popovic, the newly appointed Socceroos coach, remains confident ahead of the upcoming World Cup qualifying clash in Japan, assuring fans that there is nothing to fear. However, he acknowledged that it will be a significant challenge for the team.

Australia head to Saitama for the match on Oct 15 full of confidence after coming from behind to beat China 3-1 in Adelaide on Oct 10.

It ensured a winning start for Popovic in his first game and three crucial points after a 1-0 home loss to Bahrain and a scoreless draw in Indonesia.

The victory elevated Australia to second on goal difference in Asian qualifying Group C behind table-toppers Japan, who beat Saudi Arabia 2-0 in Jeddah to remain unbeaten after three games.

Only the top two in the six-team group secure direct passage to the 2026 World Cup, with the third- and fourth-placed nations facing another qualifying phase.

“Obviously, it’s a big challenge but also a big opportunity as well, to win in Japan,” said Popovic, who took over from Graham Arnold late in September.

“We can get better. If we can improve on this performance (against China), we can win the game, that (improvement) is really key.

“There is nothing to fear,” he added, despite Australia never having beaten the Samurai Blue in Japan.

Popovic spent four seasons as a player in the J-League with Sanfrecce Hiroshima before making his name at Crystal Palace. His captain was Hajime Moriyasu, now Japan’s coach.

“A wonderful person who’s been there several years now,” he said of Moriyasu.

“And you can see the evolution of Japanese football and how he’s changed, bringing players in and out, how they have improved their style of play, so I am very happy for him.

“We have to go there with confidence but also knowing that if we improve on the details that we showed in Adelaide, we give ourselves a chance, which is what we want to do – we want to win both of these games.”

Against China, Australia conceded an early goal but kept their focus to bounce back, something Popovic said was encouraging.

“Even at 1-0 down, I thought we were in total control of the game,” he added.

Moriyasu’s Japan are currently five points clear at the top of Group C and are favourites to book their ticket to the 2026 Finals held in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Against the Saudis, Daichi Kamada’s close-range finish put the Japanese in front in the 14th minute of a physical first half and substitute Koki Ogawa headed in Junya Ito’s corner nine minutes from time to secure the points.

The win moves Moriyasu’s onto nine points and the Japanese have now scored 14 times in three games without conceding as they move closer to securing an eighth consecutive World Cup appearance.

“We’re playing our next game (against Australia) at home in front of lots of fans, and we have to win,” Kamada was quoted as saying by Japanese media.

“If we win the next game, the World Cup will start to feel very close for us, so we want to work hard.”

Indonesia, meanwhile, were denied victory by hosts Bahrain deep into stoppage time when Mohamed Marhoon scored his second of the game to earn his side a 2-2 Group C draw with the South-east Asians, who have now drawn their last three matches.

South Korea defeated Jordan 2-0 in Amman to move top of Group B as goals from Lee Jae-sung and Oh Hyeong-gu gave coach Hong Myung-bo his second win in a row and lifted the Koreans on to seven points from three matches. AFP,