HONG KONG: Japan became the first team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup on Thursday as South Korea were held but still inched closer along with a rampant Australia.
Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo scored in the second half to give Japan a 2-0 home win over Bahrain and take their place alongside hosts the United States, Canada and Mexico at next year’s finals.
The runaway Asian Group C leaders failed to sparkle on a chilly night in Saitama until substitute Kamada pounced for the opener in the 66th minute.
In front of nearly 60,000 fans, Kubo added another in the 87th minute as Japan sealed their berth in style.
It will be their eighth straight World Cup appearance.
“I’m relieved that we could qualify at home in front of our supporters,” said Kubo, before he and his team-mates doused coach Hajjime Moriyasu with water.
“This here is not our goal — we want to compete against strong teams at the World Cup.”
Australia are in pole position to qualify out of Group C with Japan.
Two goals in two minutes helped the Socceroos secure a 5-1 thrashing of Indonesia as Dutch legend Patrick Kluivert was well beaten in his first game in charge.
Japan lead on 19 points. Australia are second on 10 points, four clear of the chasing pack of Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Bahrain and China.
Australia have three games left to play, starting with a crunch away fixture against China on Tuesday.
The top two go straight to North America, with teams finishing third and fourth in the three Asian groups going into a further round of qualifying.
Indonesia missed an early penalty before a Martin Boyle spot-kick and a Nishan Velupillay strike inside a frantic opening 20 minutes did the damage at Sydney Football Stadium.
A brace from Jackson Irvine and another by Lewis Miller sealed a big win, but Australian skipper Mat Ryan was not entirely satisfied.
“I think the scoreline flatters us a little bit to be honest,” the goalkeeper said.
“At the start of the game they had two big chances, and if they put one of them away, it could have been a different game.”
South Korea are still on course for 2026 but conceded a goal with 10 minutes left as Oman snatched a precious 1-1 away draw.
The hosts looked set for all three points after Wolves striker Hwang Hee-chan put them ahead in the first half with a clinical finish after Lee Kang-in’s superb threaded through ball.
But Ali Al Busaidi struck from just outside the box to stun most of the crowd at Goyang Stadium.
South Korea still lead Asian qualifying Group B with 15 points and three matches left to play, starting at home to Jordan on Tuesday.
Iraq are second in the group on 11 but have played a game less.
Jordan are third on nine with Oman fourth on seven.
Japan first to seal World Cup spot as South Korea, Australia get closer
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Japan first to seal World Cup spot as South Korea, Australia get closer
- Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo scored in the second half to give Japan a 2-0 home win over Bahrain
- South Korea are still on course for 2026 but conceded a goal with 10 minutes left as Oman snatched a precious 1-1 away draw
Ruthless Sinner subdues Fonseca to reach Indian Wells quarter-finals
- Sinner will face another fast-rising youngster in 20-year-old Learner Tien of the United States for a place in the semifinals
INDIAN WELLS, United States: Four-time major champion Jannik Sinner edged talented Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/4) in a scintillating Stadium Court clash on Tuesday to reach the quarter-finals at Indian Wells.
The first meeting between the world number two Sinner and the big-hitting 19-year-old lived up to expectations, the fireworks sparking a raucous response from a crowd packed with enthusiastic Brazilian fans.
Sinner will face another fast-rising youngster in 20-year-old Learner Tien of the United States for a place in the semifinals.
Fonseca went toe-to-toe with the Italian in a tense first set but was unable to convert his lone break chance and Sinner failed to capitalize on two.
A couple of uncharacteristic Sinner errors helped Fonseca power to a 6-3 lead in the tiebreaker, but the Italian responded, denying one set point with an ace to launch a run of five straight points that sealed the set.
Sinner looked headed to a comfortable victory with a break for 4-2 in the second, but Fonseca wasn’t about to go quietly.
He broke Sinner to love in the ninth game and held for 5-5 as they went to a second tiebreaker.
An ace gave Fonseca a 4-3 lead in the decider, but Sinner surged home with four straight points, polishing off the win with a masterful forehand service return.
“I felt like trying to be as aggressive as possible was the key,” said Sinner, who is chasing a first title in the prestigious Masters 1000 event in the California desert.
“Joao’s an incredible talent, very powerful from both sides. He was serving very well.
“Maybe he dropped a little bit at the end of the second set, but I’m very happy to get through,” Sinner added.
Tien saved two match points to reach his first Masters 1000 quarter-final with a 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4) victory over Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
“Honestly, after saving match points going into the tiebreak, just felt like I was playing with house money almost, really had nothing to lose,” said Tien, a Southern California native who has fond memories of attending the tournament as a child.
Arthur Fils’s injury comeback gathered pace as the Frenchman upset ninth-ranked Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 7-6 (11/9) to book a quarter-final meeting with fourth-ranked Alexander Zverev.
Germany’s Zverev downed American Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 6-4.
Fils is in the Indian Wells last eight for the second straight year, but it’s been a twisting road to arrive there.
Tough competitor
Back trouble kept him off the courts for eight months, but since a return at Montpellier last month he has impressed with a run to the final in Doha.
The 21-year-old, now ranked 32nd in the world, appeared to be in control with a 4-2 lead in the second set. But he let that advantage slip away and trailed 0-5 in the tiebreaker before he steadied, saving five set points before wrapping up the straight-sets win.
“I was at 0-5 in the tie-break and I was going to my box and complaining and complaining,” he said, adding that the advice he got was to stop complaining and focus on the match.
“I tried to focus as best I could. Not too much emotion, celebration. Just tunnel vision and I am happy with it,” said Fils, who let the emotion emerge again with a mighty chest thump after putting away match point.
