Australia has anything but secured qualifying for the World Cup 2026 when the 90th-minute winner of Aziz Behich dismissed them on a 1-0 triumph over Japan.
The Socceroos went on Thursday's game in Optus Stadium in Perth in Perth, knowing a victory, in combination with Saudi Aarabia, which would not win in Bahrain a few hours later, would record their place during next year's tournament.
Although Australia had the importance of a victory, it was Japan who dominated the early procedure, with the effort of Yu Hirakawa from the distance that came close.
Japanese captain and Crystal Palace -midfielder Daichi Kamada then saw his strike bend behind him for a corner, while the visitors kept running the screw in search of the first goal.
And things initially didn't get much better for Australia after the break, because they were struggling in attack and Real Sociedad's Takefusa Kubo Curl in another big chance for Japan.
Only eight seconds from the end of the 90 minutes of replacement Riley McGree produced a brilliant bend on the edge of the Japanese box before he cuts the ball back for experienced full-back Behich, which shot the far corner to close a smash and grab victory.
The result attracts Australia within four points of already qualified Japan at the top of group C in the third round of the AFC qualification process.
The team of Anthony Popovic can now only be denied an automatic qualifying place if Saudi Arabia wins their last two games against Bahrain and Australia, while he destroys a swing of 10 goals to the Socceroos.
Is it even worth asking who your player of the game is? #Socceroos #ausvjpn pic.twitter.com/7xe95skqxjjj
– Subway Socceroos (@Socceroos) 5 June 2025
Debrief data: Behich and Socceroos end long drought
Not since a 7-0 win over the Chinese Taipei in December 2012, Behich had scored for his country.
But at the age of 80 for Australia, the 34-year-old came up with the goods, ending that waiting of more than 12 years with a powerful finish in the upper right corner.
In addition to pushing Australia on the edge of a sixth consecutive appearance at the World Cup, the goal of Behich ended an even longer waiting for the Socceroos Japan to overcome.
They had not succeeded in winning one of their last 10 meetings with Japan, attracting four and losing six since a 2-1 World Cup qualifying victory in June 2009.