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Australia Faces Toughest of Challenges in Asian World Cup Qualifying

Tony Popovic, head coach of Australia, gives instructions to his players during the Men's World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Australia and China at Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia, 10 October 2024. (EPA)
Tony Popovic, head coach of Australia, gives instructions to his players during the Men's World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Australia and China at Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia, 10 October 2024. (EPA)
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Australia Faces Toughest of Challenges in Asian World Cup Qualifying

Tony Popovic, head coach of Australia, gives instructions to his players during the Men's World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Australia and China at Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia, 10 October 2024. (EPA)
Tony Popovic, head coach of Australia, gives instructions to his players during the Men's World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Australia and China at Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia, 10 October 2024. (EPA)

Australia faces the most daunting road trip in Asia on Tuesday when it faces a dominant Japan at Saitama Stadium, knowing a win would put the Socceroos back on track for a sixth successive World Cup appearance after a mixed start in the third round of qualification.

The Group C meeting is also a chance for new coach Tony Popovic, appointed in September to replace Graham Arnold, to make a statement win in his second game in charge and cross swords with a former team-mate.

Popovic played for Japanese club Sanfrecce Hiroshima from 1997 to 2001 alongside Hajime Moriyasu – now coach of Japan. “I know their head coach very well; he was my captain during my time in Japan. A remarkable person who has dedicated years to developing the national team,” said Popovic.

Japan is on course for an eighth successive World Cup appearance with three wins against China, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, scoring 14 goals and conceding none.

“This is undoubtedly a significant challenge, but it also presents a fantastic opportunity to etch our name in history by winning in Japan,” Popovic said after defeating China 3-1 in his first game in charge on Thursday, a result that took Australia to four points in the group, five behind Japan.

The top two teams from each of the three groups of six qualify automatically for the 2026 World Cup with the third and fourth place finishers advancing to the next stage.

Like Australia, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have four points and meet in Jeddah, while winless China hosts Indonesia at home.

The top two in Group B meet as South Korea hosts Iraq with both teams on seven points. The game has been switched to the city of Yongin, due to the poor condition of the playing surface at Seoul World Cup Stadium.

South Korea will be without English Premier League stars Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan of Wolverhampton Wanderers due to injury.

Third-placed Jordan hosts Oman in fourth while the bottom two meet as the Palestinians take on Kuwait with both looking for a first win.

In Group A, Uzbekistan and Iran are top with seven points each. Iran will host fourth-place Qatar in Dubai, due to the security situation at home while Uzbekistan takes on the United Arab Emirates in third.

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Britain to Test New Zealand Dominance in America's Cup Duel

Sailing - America's Cup - Louis Vuitton Cup - Final - Britain v Italy - Barcelona, Spain - September 26, 2024 INEOS Britannia in action during the race against Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team REUTERS/Albert Gea/File Photo
Sailing - America's Cup - Louis Vuitton Cup - Final - Britain v Italy - Barcelona, Spain - September 26, 2024 INEOS Britannia in action during the race against Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team REUTERS/Albert Gea/File Photo
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Britain to Test New Zealand Dominance in America's Cup Duel

Sailing - America's Cup - Louis Vuitton Cup - Final - Britain v Italy - Barcelona, Spain - September 26, 2024 INEOS Britannia in action during the race against Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team REUTERS/Albert Gea/File Photo
Sailing - America's Cup - Louis Vuitton Cup - Final - Britain v Italy - Barcelona, Spain - September 26, 2024 INEOS Britannia in action during the race against Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team REUTERS/Albert Gea/File Photo

Britain and holders New Zealand go head-to-head on Saturday in the opening two races of a first-to-seven series to determine the winner of the America's Cup, with Ben Ainslie's British team in the final for the first time in 60 years.

In the battle for the "Auld Mug", which was first raced in 1851 and is billed as the oldest trophy in international sport, the adage is that "the fastest boat wins", with the two high-tech AC75 foiling monohulls set to be put to the test.

The 37th America's Cup is being contested in the Mediterranean off the Spanish city of Barcelona, where variable winds and unstable sea states in the qualifying events have made sailing conditions challenging, according to Reuters.

"The good news is it looks as though we should have some breeze," Regatta Director Iain Murray said during a pre-race briefing on Saturday, adding: "I do have reasonable confidence that we are going to get some races in".

With low cloud hanging over Barcelona, Murray said that there would be some showers, which could affect the wind, which was forecast to "establish itself from about midday".

"Keep your fingers crossed and take a rain jacket," he said.

The duel pits British skipper Ainslie, the most successful Olympic sailor, and his younger co-helm Dylan Fletcher against the New Zealanders, who are skippered by double America's Cup winner Peter Burling and his co-helm Nathan Outteridge.

"The intrigue of the America's Cup is that you don't really know until you line up for the first start ... Two different looking boats, but probably going reasonably similar speeds and it will make for an awesome competition," Burling, 33, said during a pre-match press conference on Friday.

Ainslie's decade-long campaign to "bring the Cup home" has been backed by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe and they have worked closely with the Mercedes Formula One team to come up with a race-winning package and end "173 years of hurt".

"We've got a very proud sporting and maritime heritage, and the America's Cup is the one thing that has always been missing from our trophy cabinet," the 47-year-old said as the silverware was presented in Barcelona, along with a traditional Maori haka.

Britain battled their way to challenge New Zealand by beating Italy 7-4 in the Louis Vuitton Cup, with Ainslie's team showing improved speed and handling through the qualifying races as they tweaked both their boat and sailing technique.

New Zealand have been practising alone and also making changes, with team boss Grant Dalton saying he expected the AC75s to be "pretty equal" in speed, meaning whichever gets off the start fastest has a greater chance of controlling the race.

This time the organisers have also included the first America's Cup for women, with Britain and Italy qualifying on Friday for the inaugural final, also scheduled for Saturday.

Murray said that the race committee were aiming to set races which would take around 27 minutes for the America's Cup and 17 to 18 minutes for the women's final.

Italy has already won the Youth America's Cup in the smaller AC40 boats that are being used for the women's event.