PERTH, Australia, June 6, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Australia coach Tony Popovic has warned his buoyant team they still "need to do a job" after propelling themselves to the cusp of a sixth successive World Cup.

A last-gasp 1-0 win over already qualified Japan at a sold-out Perth Stadium on Thursday put the Socceroos in pole position to finish second in Asian Group C.

That would automatically punch their ticket to North America next year.

They face Saudi Arabia on Tuesday knowing they only need to avoid defeat by five goals or more in Jeddah.

Despite the Saudis only scoring six times in their nine qualifying games so far, Popovic cautioned against complacency.

"We need to do a job in Saudi," he told reporters. "We're in a great position but we have to finish it off.

"It's been a really intense period since I've come in but everyone's embraced what we're aiming to do.

"We're very close now to achieving our goal."

Popovic replaced Graham Arnold in the dugout in September and has rejuvenated the side, with victory on Thursday their first over Japan since 2009.

When he took over Australia were fifth in the group and fresh from a disastrous 1-0 loss to Bahrain and a 0-0 draw with Indonesia, with automatic qualification looking unlikely.

Popovic admitted his emotions ran high when Aziz Behich hit the 90th-minute winner, and said beating Japan was testament to the work everyone had put in.

"It was a wonderful goal," he said.

"Although football-wise we need to get better, and we will, in that 90th minute we had six players in the box trying to score a goal.

"The players were moving forward yet they were fatigued and it was a good reward for the group.

"We were tough, kept a clean sheet and have done something (beating Japan) that many Australian sides have tried to do," he added.

"They (Japan) were on a wonderful run, there's a reason for that, they are the best (in Asia) and we want to challenge them to be the best."