Asian World Cup 2026 Qualifiers: Moriyasu cautious ahead of Bahrain clash despite China demolition

An unexpected 1-0 win for Bahrain over Australia in their opening game of the third phase of Asia’s preliminaries for the 2026 finals and means Japan and Bahrain share top spot in Group C.

Japan head coach, Hajime Moriyasu applauds supporters during the FIFA World Cup Asian 3rd Qualifier Group C match against China. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Australia’s surprise World Cup qualifying loss against Bahrain on Thursday has prompted Japan boss Hajime Moriyasu to sound a note of caution as his team prepare to travel to the Gulf to take on the conquerors of the Socceroos in Riffa on Tuesday.

A late Harry Souttar own goal handed the Bahrainis an unexpected 1-0 win in their opening game of the third phase of Asia’s preliminaries for the 2026 finals and means Japan and Bahrain share top spot in Group C after the first round.

And while Japan will board the plane to Manama in confident mood after a 7-0 demolition of China at Saitama Stadium, the Samurai Blue’s coach is taking nothing for granted.

“This win doesn’t guarantee that we will qualify or mean anything before the Bahrain game,” Moriyasu said after the thrashing of China.

“We should not forget to prepare at our best going into the remaining matches. (The Australia-Bahrain) result confirms how difficult the first match in these Asian qualifiers can be and we should never feel relaxed.

“Ranking-wise Australia should have won, but that doesn’t guarantee that you can always win. We always need to focus on the next game and do our best, and then repeat that exercise. I think the loss of Australia has given us that lesson again.”

READ | FIFA World Cup 2026 Asian Qualifiers: Bahrain stuns 10-man Australia

The Japanese were in scintillating form at Saitama Stadium, with Takumi Minamino scoring a brace and Wataru Endo, Kaoru Mitoma, Junya Ito, Daizen Maeda and Takefusa Kubo also on target in a merciless performance.

They won 3-1 the last time they faced Bahrain in the last 16 of the Asian Cup earlier this year but Moriyasu is eager to avoid any complacency as Japan chases an eighth consecutive World Cup appearance.

“Bahrain will have momentum with that win and it’s going to be a home game for them, so we just need to be aware of that going into the match,” he said.

“Sometimes we need to play aggressively but sometimes we have to be very tolerant and play until the end, doing our best until the final whistle. It depends on the flow of the match.

“We have to be very flexible and maximise the ability of the individual players on the pitch.”