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With a comfortable 2-0 victory over China in Hangzhou on Tuesday, Australia moved closer to automatic World Cup qualification.

The Socceroos are now second in Group C with 13 points and two to play, three points ahead of Saudi Arabia, who have a significantly better goal difference, with their 5-1 victory over Indonesia last week.

The top two North American teams advance to the World Cup in 2026.

The group could go straight to the wire, though, because Australia will host table-toppers Japan who are already qualified and will travel to Saudi Arabia for their final qualifying event in June.

China are only able to move up to third or fourth place, which would allow them to enter the next qualifying round, despite having only six points.

In their final two matches, they travel to Bahrain and Indonesia.

Tony Popovic’s unbeaten record since taking over as head coach in September is still maintained by Australia after dominating from the beginning in Hangzhou.

After poor Chinese defense gave him the opportunity to shoot, Jackson Irvine curled home in the 16th minute to start the winning campaign.

After his first shot was blocked, the 32-year-old FC St Pauli player evaded two hesitant challenges and snuck home with a left-foot shot.

In the 29th minute, Popovic’s side received a second thanks to a terrible error by goalkeeper Wang Dalei.

For the Chinese captain’s third goal in five internationals, Nishan Velupillay let his scuffed shot squirm through his grasp, bounce off his body, and trickle over the line.

At half-time, Brazil-born Serginho made his international debut and was later formally referred to as Sai Erjiniao (also known as Sai Erjiniao in Chinese).

When Australia goalkeeper Mathew Ryan powerful shot from the edge of the area over the bar almost made an immediate impact.

According to reports on Tuesday, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s transfer to Real Madrid is on the verge of being completed when his Liverpool contract expires at the end of the season.

The defender has long been linked with a free transfer to the Bernabeu, and it is believed that talks between the 26-year-old and the Spanish giants are progressing.

Since January, the England international has been able to discuss terms with foreign clubs. He started out in the youth ranks at Liverpool and has spent more than 20 years at the Premier League.

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Alexander-Arnold made his Liverpool debut as an 18-year-old in 2016.

With his boyhood club, the right-back has won the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, and Club World Cup, and is currently 12 points clear of Arne Slot’s side for the top of the table.

At the end of the season, Alexander-Arnold is one of three important Liverpool players with no contracts, with Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah’s prospects still uncertain.

Alexander-Arnold missed Liverpool’s defeat to Newcastle in the League Cup final earlier this month because of an ankle injury.

Liverpool has not responded to the reports.

After drawing 0-0 with Japan on Tuesday, Saudi Arabia coach Herve Renard said, “everything can happen.” This kept his team’s chances of winning the 2026 World Cup alive.

In the battle for second place in Group C’s third-round Asian qualifying, the Saudis were subject to intense pressure from Japan, which was hostile, in Saitama.

With two games left, Australia now leads Saudi Arabia by three points after defeating China 2-0.

The top two teams advance to a second qualifying round, with the top three teams going into the third and fourth rounds, and then automatically advance to the next World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

In their final qualifying match in June, Saudi Arabia takes on Australia, and Renard claimed his country was still in the running for a direct spot.

Also Read: Blatter and Platini Cleared Of Corruption Case At FIFA

The Frenchman said, “There are still two games where everything can happen.”

We must travel to Bahrain, where Japan and Australia will play, and where Australia will play in the final game.

It’s a difficult fight, they say. We just need to consider the four points we received in these two games, and we look to be better offensively in these two games. ”

Roberto Mancini was fired in October of last year, and Renard led the Saudis to a famous victory over eventual champions Argentina at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

With a 1-0 victory over China last week, the Saudis won their first of five qualifiers, but it was harder to beat runaway group leaders Japan away from home.

He said, “We got a good result this evening.”

You are unable to be open.

I am aware that it wasn’t beautiful. Sorry, but we kept our organization. ”

Japan qualified for Group C with a 2-0 victory over Bahrain last week, making them the first nation to do so.

Japan were unable to convert possession into chances when Celtic striker Daizen Maeda hit the post with a first-half chance.

Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu said, “We qualified for the World Cup, but there was no drop-off from the players prior to the game.”

We kept our focus on the game, kept our concentration, and stopped the enemy from hitting us on the counter. Both tactically and mentally, the players did very well. ”

Kaoru Mitoma, Ayase Ueda, Ayase Ueda, and Hidemasa Morita were the only players who made the starting lineup for Japan after the victory over Bahrain.

Renard praised his defense for handling a Japan side that had scored 24 goals in eight qualifiers despite the fact that the Saudis were missing players.

Because Japan is a very good team, he said, “You can’t come here when you are very open. You need to be careful.”

I believe the defensive strategy was effective. Offensively, we attempted to enter the space, but we failed miserably. ”