Australia's World Cup dream hangs by a thread after the Socceroos went down 2-0 in Tokyo to a Japanese side that booked their place in Russia thanks to their victory in front of a packed and passionate home crowd.
The Socceroos now must beat Thailand in Melbourne next Tuesday night by as big a score as possible, and hope that Japan can beat, or at least draw with, Saudi Arabia when they face the Middle Eastern team in Jeddah later that same evening.
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Japan take chances to defeat Socceroos
In a game of lost opportunities for the Socceroos, Japan ultimately won by two goals to seal qualification for the World Cup.
Japan began the game at a furious pace, pressing high up the pitch and closing down Australia every time the Socceroos got the ball in a bid to force errors and benefit from turnovers.
Australia was without key midfielder Aaron Mooy, absent after falling sick in Tokyo, while frontman Tomi Juric was also on the bench.
The Samurai Blue showed their intent early when they forced two corners inside 90 seconds, their feisty attitude and quick tempo dictating the style of the game.
Takashi Inui sent a scare through Socceroo hearts with a curling shot wide of the post as the hosts looked to impose themselves on the game
The longer the match went scoreless, the more Australia could dream they would get the result they needed. This was not the Japan the Socceroos have seen so often in the past, a team built on intricate interplay and close passing.
The hosts favoured a quicker, more direct approach, looking to exploit their pace and explosive qualities, but they lacked composure when presented with the opportunity to fashion a clear-cut chance.
Takuma Asano went close with a header off the outside of the post from a Yuto Nagatomo cross before Mathew Leckie almost put Australia into a surprise lead in the 38th minute after some excellent lead-up work by Massimo Luongo. The latter controlled the ball with his head and on his chest before finding Leckie, whose shot took a deflection before cannoning to safety off the post with Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima beaten.
The Blue Samurai broke the deadlock four minutes from the interval, and the blame must be borne by left back Brad Smith for his inability to track the run of Asano as the forward was left completely alone in the penalty area to volley home Nagatomo's cross from the left.
Japan began the second half in equally lively fashion as they looked for a second sealing goal, the hosts playing with energy and determination as they prevented the Socceroos from fashioning much at the other end. The Blue Samurai were first to loose balls and were gaining in confidence the longer the game went on.
Coach Ange Postecoglou threw talisman Tim Cahill into the fray with 20 minutes to go but it was Japan who came close, with Trent Sainsbury having to clear off Australia's goal line before a tremendous long-range strike from Yosuke Ideguchi put the game beyond Australia's reach with eight minutes remaining and booked Japan's spot at the World Cup.
Australia must now hope they approach the Saudi game with equal fervour.