Japan on brink of reaching World Cup while Indonesia stuns Saudi Arabia

XIAMEN, China — Japan is within touching distance of an eighth straight World Cup appearance after a 3-1 win over China on Tuesday put the team nine points clear of second-place Australia, which drew 2-2 with Bahrain, in their Asian qualifying group.

Despite beating China 7-0 at home in September, it took Japan 39 minutes to break the deadlock in Xiamen with a Koki Ogawa header. Ko Itakura added a second before halftime.

Home fans grew hopeful when Lin Liangming scored early in the second half but Ogawa headed home his second soon after.

The Samurai Blue have 16 points from six games, with four to go in Group C. Australia is next with seven points after Kusini Yengi scored in the 96th minute to earn a dramatic draw for the Socceroos in Bahrain.

The Portsmouth forward opened the scoring in the first minute but two second-half goals from Mahdi Abduljabbar put the hosts in sight of a famous victory before Yengi’s late intervention. Bahrain is one of four teams on six points along with Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and China.

Indonesia stunned Saudi Arabia 2-0 in Jakarta. A goal in each half from Marselino Ferdinan, who plays for Oxford United in England’s second tier, nailed down a famous victory for the Southeast Asian nation which last appeared at the World Cup in 1938 as Dutch East Indies.

“Indonesia deserved to win this game,” Saudi Arabia coach Herve Renard said. “We have four games left and it will be tough but it will be tough for everybody.”

It was a first ever win for Indonesia in the third round of qualification.

“I am so proud of my team and the country,” goalkeeper Maarten Paes said. “Marselino scored two great goals and we defended so well. We knew that this was an important game and, to get a win, that gives us so much confidence. It is so close in our group.”

In Group B, South Korea stays top despite being held to a 1-1 draw by the Palestinian team in Amman, Jordan. Zaid Al Qanbar opened the scoring after 12 minutes though Son Heung-min soon found the target to keep South Korea on course for an 11th straight World Cup with 14 points.

Iraq is three points behind in second after a 1-0 win in Oman and Jordan’s 1-1 draw with Kuwait takes the team onto nine.

In Group A, Iran won 3-2 in Kyrgyzstan to move onto 16 points, three clear of Uzbekistan who took a big step toward a first World Cup by edging North Korea 1-0.

United Arab Emirates routed Qatar 5-0 — Fabio Lima scored four goals — to move onto 10 points.

The top two from each of the three groups of six progress automatically to the World Cup while the six teams who finish third and fourth will advance to the next stage of qualification.