Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu and his gamers depart for Australia on Sunday figuring out {that a} win of their penultimate qualifying match will affirm the nation’s look at a seventh consecutive World Cup finals.
Iran and South Korea have already secured their slots for the World Cup in Qatar later this 12 months from Asia’s Group A, whereas Saudi Arabia, who lead Japan by a degree on the prime of Group B, are additionally on the verge of advancing as soon as extra.
”Australia is the decisive recreation, however so had been the video games main as much as this,” mentioned Moriyasu as he named his squad final week for the crunch match on Thursday in Sydney.
”With our two losses, we needed to preserve profitable or face a really troublesome qualifying state of affairs.”
Japan had been closely favoured to breeze by means of qualifying however made a poor begin to the marketing campaign, struggling losses in opposition to Oman and Saudi Arabia to take a seat nicely off the tempo after their first three video games.
Nonetheless, a late win over the Australians at Saitama Stadium in October kick-started Japan’s marketing campaign and Moriyasu’s facet has barely regarded again since.
The Japanese have gained 5 matches in a row and sit in second place in Group B, three factors forward of Graham Arnold’s Socceroos with two video games remaining.
A victory at Sydney’s Olympic Stadium will probably be sufficient to e-book the Samurai Blue’s tickets for Qatar.
”We’ve arrived at this level solely as a result of we’ve gained every recreation, as a result of we’ve overcome the strain,” mentioned Moriyasu.
”Australia are bodily sturdy, technically gifted, nicely organised.
”This will probably be a troublesome away recreation for us, however now we have lots of good gamers and constructed up lots of expertise throughout these qualifiers.”
Australia coach Arnold has examined constructive for COVID-19 for the second time in as many months, Soccer Australia mentioned on Friday.
His staff must win each their closing matches, in opposition to Japan and Saudi Arabia, to qualify instantly for the finals.
Japan’s final recreation is in opposition to Vietnam on March 29.
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