Australia coach Ange Postecoglou said on Wednesday he will not take his foot off the gas even though the Socceroos' World Cup qualification chances were given a boost with Saudi Arabia's overnight loss to the United Arab Emirates.
The second-place Saudis' 2-1 defeat means Australia, third in Group B, can qualify automatically for next year's World Cup in Russia if it beats group leader Japan on Thursday at Saitama Stadium — and vice versa.
Australia, which hosts last-place Thailand in its final group game on Tuesday, has never lost to Japan in seven previous World Cup qualifiers, with a pair of wins and five draws.