Japan 1st team to qualify for 2014 World Cup

SAITAMA, Japan (AP) -- Japan became the first team to qualify for the 2014 World Cup, tying Australia 1-1 Tuesday night on Keisuke Honda's penalty kick in the first minute of second-half stoppage time.

Tommy Oar put Australia ahead in the 82nd minute. But Matthew McKay's hand ball set up the penalty kick for Honda, who beat goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer with a left-footed shot to the top corner.

One year and eight days before the tournament opener in Sao Paulo, Japan qualified for its fifth straight World Cup and joined host Brazil in the 32-nation field.

Japan (4-1-2) has 14 points and leads Group B in the final round of Asian qualifying. Australia (1-1-4) is second with seven points and is ahead of Jordan (2-3-1) on goal difference. Oman (1-2-3) has six points, one ahead of Iraq (1-2-2) going into their game in Muscat later Tuesday.

The top two teams in each group qualify, and the third-place teams advance to a playoff.

Both teams had great scoring chances in the first half, but Schwarzer got his right hand up to block Shinji Kagawa's shot from close range. Brett Holman fed a through ball to Robbie Kruse, who fired a right-footed shot that Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima knocked down with an outstretched arm.