Japanese Media: Australia, Expected to Top the Group, Raises Alarm for Japan After Losing to Bahrain

In the Asian qualifiers for the World Cup, despite Japan’s 7-0 victory over China in the first round, Australia’s surprise 0-1 loss to Bahrain in their opening match has caught the attention of Japanese media.

The Japanese media outlet “Football Zone” noted that the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup officially kicked off on September 5th, and Australia, grouped with Japan in Group C, was considered one of the favorites to top the group. However, they suffered a shocking 0-1 defeat against Bahrain at home, including a red card, which caused a stir.

This World Cup will feature an expanded field of 48 teams, with eight direct slots for Asian teams and one intercontinental playoff slot, thus referred to as “8.5 slots.” The final qualifiers are divided into three groups, with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the World Cup, while the third and fourth-placed teams enter the playoffs. Group C includes regular World Cup participants like Japan, Australia, and Saudi Arabia, so it is expected that these three teams will compete for the top two spots in the group.

In this context, Australia faced Bahrain, considered a dark horse, in their opening match. The game remained goalless until the 32nd minute of the second half when Australian forward Kusini Yengi was sent off for kicking an opponent’s neck during a challenge.

Then, in the 44th minute of the second half, Bahrain broke through from the left flank and delivered a cross. The ball was deflected by Australian defender Harry Souttar and went directly into the goal, recorded as an own goal. This decisive goal led to Australia’s loss in their first match.

The Japanese media pointed out that Japan will face Bahrain away on the 10th local time. With Australia’s unexpected loss, Japan cannot afford to slip up against this strong West Asian team, and the team has already sounded the alarm.