Japan Defeats China 3-1 in World Cup Qualifier

Japan solidified its position for the 2026 World Cup by defeating China 3-1 in a qualifying match, marking their fifth win in six games. Koki Ogawa was instrumental, scoring twice with headers, while Ko Itakura added another goal just before halftime. Despite a spirited effort from China, who managed to score through Lin Liangming shortly after the break, Japan's dominance was evident as they maintained a ten-point lead in Group C. In other qualifying matches, Australia secured a late equalizer against Bahrain, while Saudi Arabia faced a surprising 2-0 defeat to Indonesia. Japan is now close to qualifying for their eighth consecutive World Cup, with four games remaining in the preliminaries. Additionally, Uzbekistan managed to narrowly defeat North Korea, maintaining their push in Group A.