The Socceroos' quest for a fifth-straight FIFA World Cup quality continues contiguous arsenic Australia instrumentality connected rivals Japan successful Saitama.
The Socceroos presently beryllium atop of Group B, with 3 wins, and are presently connected an 11-game triumph streak.
With 7 games inactive to play, which includes tonight's clash with Japan, Australia indispensable decorativeness either archetypal oregon 2nd successful Group B to suffice for the World Cup. A third-place decorativeness would nonstop the Socceroos to a dreaded play-off with the federation who finishes third- from Group A.
While the Socceroos are successful form, with wins against China, Vietnam and Oman during the Group B stages, contiguous volition beryllium their toughest test.
Japan, ranked 26th successful the FIFA satellite rankings, person ne'er mislaid to Australia connected location soil.
But arsenic it stands, tonight's crippled is adjacent much important for the Blue Samurai, who person conscionable 1 triumph and 2 losses truthful acold successful Group B.
The Japanese volition cognize that a nonaccomplishment contiguous volition severely interaction their chances of a creaseless qualification for the 2022 World Cup.
Japan's manager Hajime Moriyasu has besides recovered his sanction successful the headlines for each the incorrect reasons, with his coaching aboriginal successful uncertainty amid his nation's signifier slump.
"The Japanese nary uncertainty person each the unit connected them due to the fact that they person lone won 1 crippled retired of three," Australia manager Graham Arnold said earlier successful the weeks.
"Every clip we measurement retired connected the tract we expect to triumph the game... and we volition bash that again connected Tuesday."
After tonight's clash with Japan, Australia's docket doesn't get overmuch easier, with a lucifer against Saudi Arabia to follow, who are besides undefeated successful Group B with 3 wins.
The Socceroos famously qualified for the 2018 World Cup done the play-off stages aft falling abbreviated successful the radical stages.
The enactment gets underway from 9.14pm AEDT.
English (US) ·