Australia's Milos Degenek said he has been impressing on younger teammates how tough it is to get to the World Cup through intercontinental playoffs as they prepare for their last two matches in the third round of Asian qualifying.
A first win over Japan in 16 years in Perth on Thursday would put Australia well on its way to the finals in North America in 2026, but will not yet seal qualification if Saudi Arabia beat Bahrain in a later match.
The Socceroos have a three-point edge and a healthy goal difference advantage over the Saudis, their main rivals for second place in Group C and their opponents in their final qualifier in Jeddah next Tuesday.
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