Japan’s World Cup hopes in danger after loss to Saudi Arabia

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Japan surprisingly lost 1-0 to Saudi Arabia on Thursday to leave its chances of a seventh successive World Cup appearance hanging in the balance.

Japan has now lost two of the first three games in Group B to sit six points behind Saudi Arabia and leader Australia, who both have the maximum nine. The top two from both six-team groups qualify for next year’s tournament in Qatar automatically.

Substitute Firas Al-Buraikan scored the winner in the 71st minute in Jeddah after he ran onto a wayward backpass from Gaku Shibasaki to fire a low shot past Shuichi Gonda in front of 45,000 fans at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.

Australia defeated Oman 3-1 in Doha to stay on top of the group on goal difference and record an 11th successive qualifying victory. Awer Mabil’s ninth-minute opener was canceled out by Mandhar Al-Alawi just before the half hour. Martin Boyle restored Australia’s lead early in the second half and Mitchell Duke added a late third to keep the Socceroos on course for a fifth successive World Cup.

China kept its faint hopes alive with a 3-2 win over Vietnam. Both teams had lost its first two games but Wu Lei scored his second deep into injury time after Vietnam had come back from two goals down to level the scoreline.

Son Heung-min’s late goal gave South Korea a 2-1 win over Syria to keep his team unbeaten.

Son scored from close range with one minute remaining to put South Korea on top of Group A after three games.

It looked to be a frustrating evening for the Koreans, who dominated. After a wasteful first half in which forward Hwang Hee-chan missed three good chances, they finally took the lead soon after the break.

Hwang In-beom twisted and turned outside the area and unleashed a fierce shot into the bottom corner of the Syria goal.

South Korea failed in its attempts to kill the game and, with six minutes remaining, Omar Khribin leveled with a volley. Syria, seeking a first World Cup appearance, has only a point from three games.

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