Australia's goalkeeper Mathew Ryan celebrates with Australia's Trent Sainsbury during a FIFA World Cup group B qualifying soccer match between Australia and Oman in Doha, Qatar, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Hussein Sayed)
The Associated Press
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, which Football Australia says is a FIFA record for a single qualifying series.
Awer Mabil's ninth-minute opener was canceled 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 goal 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 score.
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.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Saudi Arabia's players celebrate after they won the match against Japan 1-0 of the Asian zone group B qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 at the King Abdullah sports city stadium, in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo)
The Associated Press
Oman's Omer Talib Ahmed Fazari, right , fights for the ball with Australia's Aziz Behich during a FIFA World Cup group B qualifying soccer match between Australia and Oman in Doha, Qatar, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Hussein Sayed)
The Associated Press
Saudi Arabia's players celebrate after they defeated Japan 1-0 in the Asian zone group B qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 at the King Abdullah sports city stadium, in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo)
The Associated Press
Saudi Arabia's Mohamed Kanno, top left, and Japan's Yuya Osako, fight for the ball with Saudi Arabia's Sultan Al-Ghannam during the Asian zone group B qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 at the King Abdullah sports city stadium, in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo)
The Associated Press
South Korea's Son Heung-min, center, dribbles the ball during the final round of the Asian zone group A qualifying soccer match against Syria for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 at Ansan Wa Stadium in Ansan, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
The Associated Press
South Korea's Son Heung-min fights for the ball with Syria's Amr Almidani, left, during the final round of the Asian zone group A qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 at Ansan Wa Stadium in Ansan, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
The Associated Press
South Korea's Son Heung-min fights for the ball with Syria's Thaer Krouma, right, during the final round of the Asian zone group A qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 at Ansan Wa Stadium in Ansan, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
The Associated Press
Oman's Omer Talib Ahmed Fazari, right , fights for the ball with Australia's Aziz Behich during a FIFA World Cup group B qualifying soccer match between Australia and Oman in Doha, Qatar, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Hussein Sayed)
The Associated Press
Oman's Abdulaziz Al-Muqbali, left , fights for the ball with Australia's Trent Sainsbury during a FIFA World Cup group B qualifying soccer match between Australia and Oman in Doha, Qatar, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Hussein Sayed)
The Associated Press