Australia 3-1 Japan
Full-time Australia 3-1 Japan
Australia take all three points after producing one of the most amazing comebacks in World Cup history. 1-0 down with six minutes to go, goals from Tim Cahill (2) and John Aloisi meant that Shunsuke Nakamura's dubious opener mattered little in the end.
92 mins Goal Aloisi puts the icing on a wonderful Australia comeback when he collects the ball 35 yards out, drives towards goal and drills a low shot past Kawaguchi to ensure a 3-1 victory for the Socceroos. Australia 3-1 Japan.
89 mins Goal Cahill gives Australia the lead when he steps up again with a superb strike from 20 yards after collecting the ball from Aloisi. The lead goal is no more than Hiddink's side deserve on the balance of play. Australia 2-1 Japan.
86 mins Japan almost retake the lead when Fukunishi drives narrowly wide of Schwarzer's left post.
84 mins Goal Australia equalise when Kawaguchi fails to punch clear from a throw-in and Tim Cahill finds the net with a right-footed strike from eight yards. Australia 1-1 Japan.
83 mins Aloisi's drilled free-kick from outside the area is turned away superbly by Kawaguchi.
82 mins Lucas Neill wastes another good opportunity when he drives over from outside the box. The shot count now reads 15-5 to Australia, an indication of how wasteful they have been.
80 mins Japan waste good possession and great crossing opportunities as they continue to get in behind the Australians.
79 mins Shinji Ono replaces Yanagisawa for Japan.
77 mins Aloisi is booked for a needless push on a Japanese player.
76 mins Japan break two-on-two after Chipperfield is caught in possession. However, Yanagisawa fails to capitalise with a poor effort on goal.
75 mins John Aloisi replaces Wilkshire for Australia.
74 mins Miyamota intercepts a dangerous cross from Kewell.
71 mins Kennedy's strength and physical presence has given Australia fresh impetus. On this occasion, however, his tame effort from 18 yards is easily gathered by Kawaguchi.
68 mins Kennedy is taken down on the edge of the area as the Australians continue to take the game to Japan. Viduka's drilled effort through the wall forces an excellent save from Kawaguchi. Cahill is booked for an earlier challenge.
66 mins Japan give the ball away cheaply in midfield and Australia break with Kennedy's shot deflected behind for a corner, which Kennedy heads wide despite being unchallenged.
61 mins Striker Joshua Kennedy comes on for Luke Moore, with Emerton moving back to the defence.
58 mins Schwarzer races from his goalline to clear a dengerous through-ball, but only succeeds in directing his header into Takahara's feet. However, the Japanese star's shot is deflected behind by Lucas Neill, with the resulting corner failing to trouble the Australians.
57 mins Craig Moore is booked for pulling Yanagisawa back.
56 mins Moniwa comes on for the injured Tsuboi.
53 mins Brett Emerton drives his shot wildly over the bar from 25 yards.
52 mins Influential Australian midfielder Tim Cahill, just returning from injury, is introduced for Bresciano.
50 mins A scrappy opening sees both sides concede possession in sloppy circumstances.
46 mins Australia kick off the second half with temperatures rising.
Half-time Australia 0-1 Japan
Zico's Japan hold a 1-0 lead at the break thanks to Nakamura's controversial 26th minute goal. An evenly contested half saw both sides create several chances in sweltering conditions.
39 mins Takahara is booked for not retreating far enough in front of an Australian free-kick.
35 mins The ball is put out of play by Australia to allow treatment on for Yanagisawa, who went down after a challenge in the Aussies' penalty area. The break in play gives the players an opportunity to take on some fluids, with temperatures in the region of 30 degrees.
34 mins Vince Grella is booked for Australia.
33 mins Australia manager Guus Hiddink is seen remonstrating with the fourth official on the sideline as he tries to view a replay of the goal incident.
31 mins Japan centre back Miyamoto harshly receives the first booking of the match for a harmless foul on Bresciano.
28 mins Harry Kewell goes close at the other end but his shot from distance sails narrowly over the bar.
26 mins Goal Shunsuke Nakamura opens the scoring in controversial fashion when his cross from the right sails over Australian 'keeper Mark Schwarzer, who was clearly impeded by Yanagisawa. 1-0 Japan.
25 mins Bresciano plays a clever one-two with Viduka, before his sidefooted effort from 18 yards is palmed away by Kawaguchi
22 mins Takahara combines well with Alex before shooting narrowly wide from the edge of the area.
20 mins A patient and deliberate Australia retain possession for a lengthy spell but fail to create a meaningful opening.
15 mins Viduka continues to make life uncomfortable for the Japanese defence, and with Kawaguchi looking uncertain under the high ball, you sense it's only a matter of time before the Socceroos make the breakthrough.
13 mins With chances at both ends in a lively and entertaining opening, Fukunishi and Bresciano go close for either side.
12 mins Culina's half-hearted appeals for a penalty are correctly ignored by referee Essam Abdel Fatah.
10 mins Yanagisawa breaks free down the right and earns a corner kick when his second attempted cross is put behind.
7 mins Two corners from the left put serious pressure on the physically smaller Japanese defence, before Viduka is penalised for an innocuous foul on the 'keeper.
6 mins Mark Viduka is denied twice by goalkeeper Kawaguchi at his near post after breaking the Japanese defence down the left side of the box.
4 mins Japan winger Alex gives Australian right-back Luke Wilkshire some testing moments in the early stages, which are understandably tentative.
1 min Japan's Nakamura is fouled on the edge of the area but the resulting free-kick comes to nothing.
2.00pm Japan kick off in glorious sunshine in Kaiserslautern.
Australia: Schwarzer, Neill, Moore, Culina, Wilkshire, Emerton,
Grella, Bresciano, Chipperfield, Kewell, Viduka.
Subs: Aloisi, Beauchamp, Cahill, Covic, Kalac, Kennedy, Lazaridis, Milligan, Popovic, Skoko, Sterjovski, Thompson.
Japan: Kawaguchi, Komano, Miyamoto, Santos, Tsuboi, Nakazawa, Fukunishi, Hidetoshi Nakata, Nakamura, Takahara, Yanagisawa.
Subs: Doi, Endo, Inamoto, Kaji, Maki, Moniwa, Koji Nakata,
Narazaki, Ogasawara, Oguro, Ono, Tamada.
Referee: Essam Abdel Fatah (Egypt)
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