Australia on brink of World Cup after dramatic late winner

PERTH – Left-back Aziz Behich scored a last-minute winner, as Australia moved to the brink of qualification for the 2026 World Cup Finals with a 1-0 win over Japan in Perth on June 5.

With time running out, Behich pounced on Riley McGree’s cutback and turned to lash the ball into the net to the delight of a crowd of 57,226 fans who had endured a laboured performance from the Socceroos.

Australia remain in second place in Group C on 16 points, four behind the already qualified Japanese. They will go through to the Finals if fourth-placed Saudi Arabia (10 points) failed to beat Bahrain in Riffa later in the day – the match finished after press time.

Even if the later result in Bahrain went against them, Australia’s superior goal difference means that they will progress to a sixth successive World Cup with anything barring a heavy defeat when they meet the Saudis in Jeddah on June 10.

The top two teams in each of the three six-team groups qualify automatically for the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

“It hasn’t quite sunk in just yet but when that final whistle went, it was a great feeling,” Behich said.

“It was a tough game, we knew we had to grind it out. The boss said at half-time that no matter how tough it gets, we will get our opportunity if we get to it. Fortunately enough, it fell to me and my right foot.

“In a football sense, this is the best week (of my life). It has been a long campaign and we have worked so hard over this campaign. The group we have in this changing room and the boys that come in every camp, the mentality is second to none.

“I think that