Australia faces the most daunting road trip in Asia on Tuesday when it faces a dominant Japan at Saitama Stadium, knowing a win would put the Socceroos back on track for a sixth successive World Cup appearance after a mixed start in the third round of qualification.
The Group C meeting is also a chance for new coach Tony Popovic, appointed in September to replace Graham Arnold, to make a statement win in his second game in charge and cross swords with a former team-mate.
Popovic played for Japanese club Sanfrecce Hiroshima from 1997 to 2001 alongside Hajime Moriyasu – now coach of Japan. “I know their head coach very well; he was my captain during my time in Japan. A remarkable person who has dedicated years to developing the national team,” said Popovic.
Japan is on course for an eighth successive World Cup appearance with three wins against China, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, scoring 14 goals and conceding none.
“This is undoubtedly a significant challenge, but it also presents a fantastic opportunity to etch our name in history by winning in Japan,” Popovic said after defeating China 3-1 in his first game in charge on Thursday, a result that took Australia to four points in the group, five behind Japan.
The top two teams from each of the three groups of six qualify automatically for the 2026 World Cup with the third and fourth place finishers advancing to the next stage.
Like Australia, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have four points and meet in Jeddah, while winless China hosts Indonesia at home.
The top two in Group B meet as South Korea hosts Iraq with both teams on seven points. The game has been switched to the city of Yongin, due to the poor condition of the playing surface at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
South Korea will be without English Premier League stars Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers due to injury.
Third-placed Jordan hosts Oman in fourth while the bottom two meet as the Palestinians take on Kuwait with both looking for a first win.
In Group A, Uzbekistan and Iran are top with seven points each. Iran will host fourth-place Qatar in Dubai, due to the security situation at home while Uzbekistan takes on the United Arab Emirates in third.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Australia's Nishan Velupillay, second left, is congratulated by teammate Riley McGree after scoring his team's third goal during the World Cup 2026 Group C qualifying soccer match between Australia and China at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, Australia, Thursday Oct. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
Australia's coach Tony Popovic gestures during the World Cup 2026 Group C qualifying soccer match between Australia and China at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, Australia, Thursday Oct. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Dominic Solanke scored twice as Tottenham thrashed Aston Villa 4-1 in the Premier League on Sunday.
The forward struck two goals in the space of four second-half minutes at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after Villa had led at the break.
Solanke scored in the 75th and 79th as Spurs produced a stunning second-half performance to follow up its victory against Manchester City in the League Cup on Wednesday.
Morgan Rogers had given Champions League-chasing Villa the lead in the 32nd minute, but Brennan Johnson leveled the game four minutes after the break.
Solanke's double put Spurs 3-1 ahead and James Maddison curled a free kick into the top corner in the sixth minute of added time. Solanke is now on five goals for the season.
Tottenham is up to seventh in the standings, while fifth-place Villa missed out on the chance to move into the top three.
AFC Wimbledon beat MK Dons 2-0 in the first round of the FA Cup and took bragging rights in one of English soccer’s fiercest grudge matches.
Matty Stevens and Omar Bugiel scored either side of halftime at Stadium MK in a competition that holds deep ties for fans of both clubs.
Wimbledon was a shock winner of the Cup in 1988 when beating the mighty Liverpool 1-0. The team relocated to Milton Keynes in 2002 and was renamed MK Dons, which prompted disgruntled fans to create a phoenix club called AFC Wimbledon.
And it was the traveling AFC Wimbledon fans who were left celebrating Sunday after securing its place in the next round of the Cup.
James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Tottenham's James Maddison, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Tottenham's team players celebrate after James Maddison scored his side's fourth goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Tottenham's Dominic Solanke, right, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Tottenham's Dominic Solanke, right, celebrates with Brennan Johnson after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)