Japan maintained their perfect start to the Asian Championship with a 3-0 victory over Australia on Monday evening. The hosts took three points from their second fixture, moving further clear at the top of the table. To be fair, the result followed a pattern both sides had been building toward in recent days.
Japan now sit unbeaten in two matches with six points, having opened with a 3-0 win against Bahrain before beating Oman 3-1. Australia enter this fixture with three points from their opening game, a 3-0 triumph over Oman that set expectations high. And here's the thing about these Asian Championship campaigns - momentum carries weight.
The victory extended Japan's unbeaten run to eight across all competitions, including that earlier 1-3 defeat to Slovenia. Australia's record shows more mixed form when you look beyond the tournament, with losses to Thailand, Pakistan and South Korea in 2022. By then, the Australian setup had been through significant changes.
What stands out is how Japan have handled their opportunities. Three consecutive wins in the championship window, conceding just one goal across those matches. The defensive shape looked disciplined, and the coaching staff clearly had a plan for limiting Australia's space.
The table now shows Japan two points clear of Australia after their second round of fixtures. That gap could widen or shrink depending on how tomorrow's other matches fall. For now, Japan hold the advantage and the momentum.