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Football: Relentless Australia target Japan next after making World Cup history

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="From the Australian Socceroos Instagram page" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/sports/10/08/socceros.jpg"/><figcaption>From the Australian Socceroos Instagram page</figcaption></figure></div>Australia coach Graham Arnold says his only focus is next week&#x27;s clash with Japan after the Socceroos became the first team to win 11 games in a row in the same World Cup qualifying campaign.They achieved the historic feat by beating Oman 3-1 in Qatar on Thursday, with Awer Mabil, Martin Boyle and Mitch Duke getting on the scoresheet.The victory ensured Australia top Group B on goal difference from Saudi Arabia in the third and final round of Asian World Cup qualifying for Qatar, having coasted through the previous rounds with eight straight wins.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/10/06/21/coach-upbeat-of-phs-world-cup-qualifying-chances">Coach upbeat of PH&#x27;s chances of qualifying for Women&#x27;s World Cup</a></li></ul>In the process, they edged past Germany, Spain and Mexico, who each won 10 in a row on their paths to the World Cups in Russia 2018, South Africa 2010 and Germany 2006 respectively.Australia&#x27;s streak, which stretches back to September 2019, is all the more impressive given every game bar one has been away from home due to Covid-19.While praising his charges, Arnold stressed the job of booking their place at next year&#x27;s World Cup still wasn&#x27;t done and making history could wait.&quot;It&#x27;s something we&#x27;ll probably reflect on in the future and what a great feat it has been, especially playing 10 out of 11 games away from home,&quot; he said.&quot;But to me it&#x27;s all about going to Japan and getting ready for Japan in Japan and making it 12 (wins).&quot;<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/24/21/football-ph-malditas-secure-spot-in-afc-womens-asian-cup">Football: PH Malditas defeat HK to secure spot in AFC Women&#x27;s Asian Cup</a></li></ul>Australia head to Japan at the weekend ahead of Tuesday&#x27;s crunch clash with the Blue Samurai in Saitama, looking to not just bag another win but add to the eight clean sheets they have kept in the 11-match run.Arnold said there were still areas of their game they must improve on.&quot;We got dragged into an erratic game at times. Oman threw a lot at us,&quot; he said of their first-half performance.&quot;But once we got the boys in at half-time and calmed them down and we focused more on keeping the ball and moving them sideways and making them chase the ball, I felt that we took over the game.&quot;<div>mp/arb/pst</div><div>© Agence France-Presse</div>

Australia coach Graham Arnold says his only focus is next week's clash with Japan.