Edgy start for Asian powers

Asian 3rd round:

Gp A –  China 2-1 Singapore

Gp A –  Iraq 0-2 Jordan 

Gp B –  South Korea 6-0 Lebanon

Gp B –  United Arab Emirates 2-3 Kuwait 

Gp C –  Japan 1-0 North Korea

Gp C –  Tajikistan 0-1 Uzbekistan

Gp D –  Australia 2-1 Thailand

Gp D –  Oman 0-0 Saudi Arabia 

Gp E –  Bahrain 0-0 Qatar

Gp E –  Iran 3-0 Indonesia

Asia’s top sides made winning starts to their World Cup campaigns but some of them were pushed all the way by lower-ranked opposition.

Asian champions Japan needed an injury time winner from Michihiro Masuda to beat fellow 2010 qualifiers North Korea 1-0 in Saitama.  The visitors finished with ten men after substitute Pak Kwang-Ryong was sent off.

A strong Australian side had to come from behind to beat Thailand 2-1 in Brisbane.  The Thais took a surprise early lead thanks to Teerasil Dangda.  They remained in front at the break but Australia equalised on 58 minutes with a goal from Josh Kennedy.  The points looked set to be shared until substitute Alex Brosque scored his first international goal with four minutes remaining to seal victory for the Socceroos.  The Aussies have an early advantage in Group D over Saudi Arabia, who were held to a goalless draw by Oman.

Another team that came from behind was China.  They trailed 1-0 at half-time at home to Singapore, after veteran Aleksandar Duric had put the visitors ahead on 33 minutes.  But the game turned on its head with 20 minutes to go when China equalised through a Zheng Zhi penalty.  Minutes later Yu Hai’s goal wrapped up all three points for the Chinese.

In the same group, Jordan overcame a 10-minute delay due to a floodlight failure to win 2-0 in Iraq.

Things were much more straightforward for South Korea, who brushed aside Lebanon 6-0, thanks to a hat-trick by new Arsenal signing Park Chu-Young.

Kuwait, looking to qualify for the first time since 1982, had to endure a brave fightback from the United Arab Emirates to seal all three points in their Group B opener.  Kuwait led 3-0 but two UAE goals in the last six minutes set up a nervous finish.

Tajikistan are enjoying a second bite of the World Cup cherry after Syria were thrown out of the competition for fielding an ineligible player in their second round tie.  And it looked like they were going to earn a point at home to Uzbekistan, but Maksim Shatskikh’s goal on 72 minutes meant it was a winning start to the group stages for the Uzbeks, as they look to reach the finals for the first time.

Iran got their Group E campaign off to a solid start as they beat Indonesia 3-0.   All three goals came in the second half with Spanish-based Javad Nekounam scoring two of them.  Bahrain and Qatar played out a 0-0 draw in Manama.