JEDDAH — In a highly anticipated showdown at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, the Green Falcons lost 2-0 to Japan in the third group stage of the Asian World Cup qualifiers for 2026. Despite the defeat, Saudi fans, who packed the stadium with an impressive 56,000-strong crowd, were a shining presence throughout the match. Hopes were high among the Saudi faithful for another victory in the qualifiers, especially against a Japanese side that had failed to win in Jeddah for several years, suffering three consecutive defeats. However, the Samurai Blue entered the match with a mission to avenge their past losses, and they delivered with a determined performance. Japan took the lead in the 14th minute with a goal from Daichi Kamada, who finished a well-executed team move with a close-range shot that found the back of the net. Saudi star Salem Al-Dawsari led a promising attack in the 41st minute, setting up Saud Abdulhamid for a stunning shot from outside the box, but Japan's goalkeeper made a brilliant save to deny the equalizer, turning it into a corner kick. The Green Falcons thought they deserved a penalty just before halftime when Musab Al-Juwair went down in the box, but after reviewing the play, the VAR (Video Assistant Referee) ruled there was no foul. Japan nearly doubled their lead in stoppage time of the first half, but a fierce shot from Ayase Ueda was parried away by Saudi goalkeeper Ahmed Al-Kassar, who pushed it out for a corner. The second half started quietly, with both teams trading possession without creating many clear chances. This calm lasted until the final ten minutes, when Japan struck again. In the 81st minute, Koki Ogawa, unmarked in the box, rose to meet a corner kick with a precise header, making it 2-0 and securing victory for the visitors. With this win, Japan now tops Group C with 9 points, while Saudi Arabia remains at 4 points, dropping to third place behind Australia, who defeated China 3-1 earlier on Thursday. The top two teams from each group will automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Teams finishing in third and fourth places will proceed to the fourth round of qualifiers.
