On Thursday 5 June, SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team) faced the Australia National Team in the final round of the FIFA World Cup 26™ Asian qualifiers in Perth, Australia.

Having already secured their place in the FIFA World Cup 26™ Japan made 14 changes to their squad from the March fixtures for this campaign. Head coach MORIYASU Hajime fielded a fresh line-up, handing debuts to first-time call-ups, HIRAKAWA Yu (Bristol City) and TAWARATSUMIDA Kota (FC Tokyo), as well as SEKINE Hiroki (Stade de Reims), who had previously been called up to the squad but had not yet played in a match.

In addition, five returning players – MACHIDA Koki (Royale Union Saint-Gilloise), WATANABE Tsuyoshi (KAA Gent), OHASHI Yuki (Blackburn Rovers), SANO Kaishu (Mainz 05), and SUZUKI Yuito (Brondby IF) – were included in the starting eleven.

When asked about his selection, coach Moriyasu said: “I wanted the newly called-up and returning players not just to gain experience from the bench, but to showcase their abilities in the intense competition of the final round of the AFC Qualifiers.”

As in previous qualifiers, Japan started with a 3-4-2-1 formation. With Australia sitting deep, Japan dominated possession. Centre forward Ohashi and wing-backs Tawaratsumida and Hirakawa aggressively pushed forward, while attacking midfielders Suzuki Yuito and KAMADA Daichi (Crystal Palace) also looked eager to score. In the 28th minute, Suzuki came close to scoring after receiving a forward pass from Machida and getting a shot away.

Japan dominated the home side with 70% ball possession and continued to create chances. In the 43rd minute, Tawaratsumida played a well-worked pass to Kamada on the left flank, setting up another attempt on goal. Despite multiple opportunities, however, they were unable to break down Australia’s five-man defence, and the first half ended 0–0.

In the second half, Machida, who had sustained an abdominal injury from a collision earlier in the match, was substituted and replaced by SEKO Ayumu (Grasshopper Club Zurich), who slotted into the left of the back three. In the 49th minute, a misplaced pass in Japan’s own half led to a scare, but Watanabe made a crucial block to avert the danger and preserve the clean sheet.

Japan continued to probe for a breakthrough, with holding midfielders FUJITA Joel Chima (Sint-Truidense VV) and Sano Kaishu working well alongside the two attacking midfielders, Kamada and Suzuki, in the final third. However, Australia were determined to secure their own World Cup qualification and set up a solid block in the centre, making it difficult for Japan to find a clear route to goal.

In the 64th minute, Japan made a double substitution, bringing on KUBO Takefusa (Real Sociedad) and NAKAMURA Keito (Stade de Reims) for Sano and Tawaratsumida. Five minutes later, Ohashi and Watanabe were replaced by MACHINO Shuto (Holstein Kiel) and TAKAI Kota (Kawasaki Frontale), in a bid to change the scoreline.

Kubo and Nakamura injected energy into Japan’s attack, but despite their efforts, Australia’s defence held firm. Then, in the 90th minute, the deadlock was finally broken – but it was Australia who scored. Following a throw-in on Japan’s left, a sequence of passes led Aziz BEHICH into the box, where he unleashed a shot that found the back of the net.

Despite dominating possession and launching repeated attacks, Japan were unable to break through Australia's disciplined defence. By falling into the trap of their opponents' strategy of absorbing pressure and capitalising on limited chances, Japan suffered their first defeat of the current qualification campaign.

Coach and Players' Comments

MORIYASU Hajime, Head Coach of SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team)
I don’t believe there are any matches where it's acceptable for the national team to lose. No matter who takes the pitch, we are expected to win. It's our responsibility to deliver victories to the Japanese people, bring them joy, and inspire national pride through our performances on the field. That said, we shouldn’t always rely solely on our core players out of fear of defeat. Instead, we must take responsibility for the development of Japanese football while also striving for victory as a team. Of course, we cannot justify a loss simply because we were experimenting. Even if we are criticised or held accountable for the result, we have selected players who are worth the risk. I want the players to use this bitter experience as motivation to improve.

MF/FW #10 KUBO Takefusa (Real Sociedad/Spain)
To be honest, we started the second half sluggishly. Although we had a lot of possession, the opposition sat back and didn’t press us much, probably by design. The match played out almost identically to the one we played in Japan. Reflecting on that match, I thought we needed to force our way through the middle, even if it meant taking risks. Suzuki (Yuito) made some good runs into central areas, and we broke them down a few times, but ultimately, we only created one real chance. That’s something we need to reflect on. (Wearing the number 10 shirt) It doesn't change the way I play, but it is a number traditionally worn by great players, so I’m happy to wear it.

MF/FW #15 KAMADA Daichi (Crystal Palace/England)
Before the match, we talked as a team about making sure we didn’t lose. We managed to maintain a high possession rate in a goalless game. It was difficult to create many chances in attack, but I think we did what we were supposed to do. That’s why it was so frustrating to concede at the end. I believe each player demonstrated their ability, particularly in terms of our strength in one-on-one situations and our ability to break away from opponents. However, we could definitely improve the quality of our play in the final third, so that’s something we need to work on as a team.

MF/FW #20 TAWARATSUMIDA Kota (FC Tokyo)
I needed to play a more active role in creating goals and chances. I knew I needed to learn more from my teammates in order to improve, and today's match really reinforced that feeling. I realised just how great a responsibility it is to represent your country. Nevertheless, I was determined to demonstrate my value to the team. The pace of the game was completely different to what I am used to, but I think I showed aggression when making my challenges.

AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road To 26

Fixture: SAMURAI BLUE vs Australia National Team
Date: Thu. 5 June 2025, 19:10 (20:10 Japan time)
Venue: Perth Stadium (Perth, Australia)
Tournament information