March 27, 2025 – Saudi Arabia remained third in its FIFA World Cup qualifying group after securing a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Japan in Saitama on Tuesday. Japan, having already qualified for the 2026 tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada as Group C winners, dominated possession, but the Green Falcons managed to earn a crucial point.
The result means Herve Renard’s squad falls further behind Australia, its main rival for second place in Group C and an automatic qualification spot for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, with two matches left, Saudi Arabia still has a chance to surpass the Socceroos.
Three key takeaways from Saudi Arabia’s performance against China
Resilient defense earns crucial draw
Scoring goals has been a challenge throughout Saudi Arabia’s World Cup qualifying campaign, at times threatening their chances of reaching the 2026 tournament. However, the Green Falcons’ defense has been a key strength—recording four clean sheets in their last five qualifiers, with only Indonesia breaking through in a shock 2-0 defeat last November. Without such a solid defense, Saudi Arabia’s hopes in Group C would have faded much earlier.
Successfully shutting down Japan’s attack in Saitama was even more impressive given the absence of Al Ittihad center-back Hassan Kadesh, who was injured in the previous match against China. Stepping in alongside Hassan Tambakti was Al Nassr’s Ali Al-Lajami, who had featured as a substitute against China. Renard opted for a five-man defensive setup to counter Japan’s attack, introducing Al Qadsiah’s Jehad Thakri to the starting lineup.
Thakri’s rise over the past year from the Saudi First Division to the national team has been a major positive for Renard. After playing a crucial role in Qadsiah’s promotion to the Pro League last season, Thakri has been instrumental in his team’s strong defensive record. Against Japan, he and his fellow defenders delivered a composed performance.
Despite Japan holding 78% possession and registering 12 shots compared to Saudi Arabia’s single attempt, the Green Falcons’ defense limited Japan to just two shots on target. This defensive resilience prevented Japan from scoring, marking the first time in 13 World Cup qualifiers that the Blue Samurai failed to find the net, and their first scoreless game since a 1-0 loss to Costa Rica in the 2022 World Cup—a streak spanning 30 matches.
“There are still two games left; anything can happen,” Renard said. “We have to go to Bahrain. Australia will host Japan, and we will host Australia in the final match. It’s a tough battle. We just have to focus on the four points we earned from these last two games and work on improving offensively for the final two.”
Japan’s squad depth on display
Saudi Arabia fans had hoped Japan would rest some of its key players after securing early qualification for the World Cup. Blue Samurai coach Hajime Moriyasu made six changes from the team that defeated Bahrain 2-0, but Japan’s squad depth ensured they remained highly competitive.
With Ayase Ueda and Hidemasa Morita returning to their clubs, Feyenoord and Sporting, respectively, Moriyasu introduced Celtic forward Daizen Maeda and Leeds United midfielder Ao Tanaka. Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma and Takumi Minamino were also rested, with Stade Reims winger Keito Nakamura and Crystal Palace’s Daichi Kamada stepping in.
Across every position, Japan boasts strong alternatives—something Renard, still refining his best Saudi lineup, would envy. Despite Japan’s rotation, Renard expected a disciplined performance, predicting they would approach the game at full intensity despite already qualifying.
“We secured a good result tonight,” Renard commented. “It wasn’t pretty, I know. Apologies for the lack of entertainment, but we maintained our organization. When facing Japan, you can’t afford to be too open—you need to be cautious because they are a strong team. I think we executed our defensive plan well, but offensively, we struggled to exploit spaces.”
Crucial showdown with Australia looms
Australia’s 2-0 win over China—confirmed shortly after Saudi Arabia’s draw—puts the Socceroos in prime position to secure the second automatic qualification spot for the 2026 World Cup. They now hold a three-point lead, and their next two games are against Japan on June 5 and a potentially decisive final match against Saudi Arabia in Riyadh five days later.
A major disadvantage for Saudi Arabia is its inferior goal difference (-2) compared to Australia’s (+7). This means the Green Falcons must defeat Bahrain in their next match while hoping Japan can either win or draw against Australia. If that happens, Saudi Arabia could overtake the Socceroos with a victory in the final game.
Renard and his squad faced a similar scenario in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, where Salem Al-Dawsari’s late penalty secured a 1-0 victory over Australia in front of 51,000 fans at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, confirming Saudi Arabia as group winners.
“There are still two games left, and anything can happen,” Renard reiterated. “We have to play in Bahrain, Australia will face Japan, and then we will host Australia in the last game. It’s a tough battle. We need to focus on the four points we collected from these past two matches and strive to improve offensively for the final two fixtures.”