GOLD COAST: Bahrain stunned Australia 1-0 away on Thursday thanks to an 89th-minute Harry Souttar own goal in a major upset to start the third round of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. With the hosts down to 10 men, the match was headed for a scoreless draw on the Gold Coast until the defender Souttar deflected a shot from Abdulla Al-Khalasi into his own net.

It was Bahrain’s first victory against Australia, who are ranked 56 places higher. The Socceroos struggled for fluency against their defensively minded opponents and their hopes nosedived after a red card in the 77th minute to striker Kusini Yengi for a high kick to the neck of defender Sayed Baqer.

The top two from each of the three Asian groups will be guaranteed a place at the expanded 48-team World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Japan, Saudi Arabia, China and Indonesia are in Group C alongside Australia and Bahrain.

Australia play Indonesia in Jakarta on Tuesday. The Socceroos were hot favorites having won all six previous matches against Bahrain, including a 2-0 friendly win earlier this year. Australia romped through the second qualifying round with maximum points and without conceding a goal.

They scored 22 goals in that phase, playing with flair and an aggressive style that coach Graham Arnold wanted replicated against Bahrain. Australia started with purpose and their first foray resulted in a long-range shot from Alessandro Circati that was tipped over the bar by goalkeeper Ebrahim Lutfalla.

But Bahrain held their own, effectively utilizing the right wing to mount several dangerous counterattacks. The game moved into a lull late in the first half before Craig Goodwin threatened with several piercing crosses into the box, only to be left frustrated by errant finishing. Bahrain continued to defend after the interval as Arnold turned to 18-year-old substitute Nestory Irankunda, who recently joined Bayern Munich.

Irankunda provided some energetic bursts, but failed to spark a game that became mired in stoppages as tempers flared. Yengi’s send off rattled Australia, who were left stunned by the late winner as Bahrain celebrated a famous victory.

Meanwhile, Premier League stars Kaoru Mitoma and Wataru Endo both scored as Japan thrashed China 7-0 on Thursday to start the third round of Asian World Cup qualifiers with a statement win. Brighton winger Mitoma, who has missed a chunk of this year with injury, was making his first appearance for Japan since the Asian Cup in January.

He announced his return in emphatic style in front of more than 50,000 fans in Saitama, scoring with a first-half header after Liverpool’s Endo had given Japan the lead. Takumi Minamino added two more goals after the break to put Japan on cruise control against a China side looking to qualify for their first World Cup since 2002.

Junya Ito, who was also playing for Japan for the first time since the Asian Cup, scored another before late goals from Daizen Maeda and Takefusa Kubo capped a dominant performance from Hajime Moriyasu’s side.

It was a night to forget for China, who squeezed into the third qualifying round thanks to a superior head-to-head record over Thailand. Japan gave China an early scare when Ritsu Doan powered a header at goal that goalkeeper Wang Dalei had to turn round the post. But the warning went unheeded as Endo found himself completely unmarked to head home the opener from the resulting corner. Japan doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time when Mitoma nodded home Doan’s cross at the back post in injury time.

Minamino got Japan off to a flying start to the second half when he skipped past a defender into the China box and curled a shot past Wang and into the net. The Monaco forward struck again six minutes later, again cutting through the Chinese defence and lashing the ball past Wang.

Ito marked his return to the team with Japan’s fifth goal after coming on as a substitute. The Reims winger had not featured since he left the Asian Cup squad after a Japanese magazine published allegations that he sexually assaulted two women in a hotel in Osaka last year.

Japanese prosecutors dropped charges against the player last month and he has denied any wrongdoing. Maeda scored Japan’s sixth with a back-post header in the 87th minute. Japan and China have also been drawn with Australia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Indonesia in a tricky-looking Group C.

The top two are guaranteed a place at the World Cup, with the third and fourth-placed sides going into a further round of qualifying.

Earlier, Palestine gave South Korea a major scare in an entertaining 0-0 away draw on Thursday as they attempt to reach the World Cup for the first time. Making their debut in the third stage of Asian qualifying and 96 in FIFA’s rankings to South Korea’s 23, Palestine refused to be overawed for much of an open contest in Seoul.

Palestine play their home matches abroad, usually in the Middle East, because of the war in Gaza. The local league has been suspended and many of the players are without a club. Despite those obstacles, they thought they had taken the lead in the 22nd minute at the 66,000-capacity Seoul World Cup Stadium, only for the goal to be correctly ruled out for off-side.

The hosts, under their fourth coach this year with Hong Myung-bo, looked shaky at the back and were struggling to get their talisman and skipper Son Heung-min into the game. Their best chance of an even first half fell to Lee Kang-in, but Palestinian goalkeeper Rami Hamadeh just about kept out the Paris Saint-Germain player’s well-struck close-range effort. The Palestinians appeared to tire in the second half and were restricted to rare breakaways.

Lee was again guilty of missing a glorious chance when he shot wildly, then was denied with a 74th-minute freekick that Hamadeh tipped over the bar. Oday Dabbagh then went close for the visitors on the break, before Spurs star Son rattled the outside of the post in the dying minutes.

But Palestine held on for a precious point and were good value for the draw. Under their Tunisian coach Makram Daboub the Palestinian team have reached new heights this year. At this year’s Asian Cup, they won a game for the first time in the history of the competition, defeating Hong Kong 3-0.

That put them into the knockout rounds of the tournament, another first, before going down 2-1 to hosts and eventual champions Qatar. The squad trained in Malaysia for the South Korea game and will return there to prepare for their next qualifier, against Jordan in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, in what is nominally a home match. — AFP