Japan has become the first country to qualify for football's 2010 World Cup, clinching its place with a 1-0 win away at Uzbekistan on Saturday. A goal in the ninth minute by Shinji Okazaki proved enough for Japan to secure a fourth straight World Cup berth, qualifying with two games to spare.
Hosts South Africa are automatically in the event, while Australia can qualify with a win or draw away at Qatar later Saturday.
Uzbekistan must win its final qualifier and rely on Bahrain losing its two remaining matches if it is to have a chance of progressing.
Australia can join its Asia Group 1 rival in the 32-team finals with at least a draw in its match against Qatar later.
Coach Takeshi Okada, who guided Japan to its first World Cup in 1998, repeated the feat. Shinji Okazaki scored the game’s only goal after nine minutes.
That lifted Japan atop the group with 14 points to Australia’s 13, with Bahrain and Qatar next on seven.
In today’s Group 2 matches, Iran held North Korea to a goalless draw in Pyongyang. The point lifts North Korea to 11 points, level with leader South Korea and a point ahead of Saudi Arabia. Iran has seven points.
The two third-place finishers enter a playoff series, with the winner facing Oceania’s top team in another playoff for a World Cup spot. South Africa has an automatic berth as host.
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