Socceroos Secure Crucial Draw Against Japan in World Cup Qualifiers

Tony Popovic's team holds second place in Group C after a challenging match in Saitama, marking a promising start to his tenure.

Australia managed a 1-1 draw against Japan, a team that had won all previous qualifiers without conceding a goal.
The Socceroos' defensive resilience was key, as they withstood Japan's dominance in possession and limited their clear chances.
An own goal from Japan's Shogo Taniguchi gave Australia the lead, with another own goal by Cameron Burgess leveling the score.
Tony Popovic's new 3-4-2-1 formation showed promise, despite limited preparation time and a disrupted journey to the match.
Australia's position in their qualification group improved significantly, now sitting second, with upcoming matches against Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.