Cameron Burgess’s Australia all but confirmed qualification for the 2026 World Cup after a 90th-minute Aziz Behich goal saw them to a 1-0 victory over Japan in Perth this afternoon.
Burgess (pictured above with the goalscorer at the final whistle), 29, played the full 90 minutes in his home town and won his 16th full cap on the left of a back three against a controversially understrength Samurai Blue side.
The win moves the Socceroos, second in the group behind the already qualified Japanese, six points ahead of third-placed Saudi Arabia, who face Bahrain this evening in their penultimate fixture, with a superior goal difference.
Australia’s final group game is, coincidentally, against the Saudis in Jeddah on Tuesday.
Burgess is currently out of contract at Town but with talks regarding a new deal ongoing.
The centre-half and former Blues teammate Massimo Luongo will both be targeting a 2025/26 season which will see them claim a spot in the squad for the finals in North America.
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