Japan hold Aussies, Iran go top – Iraq rout Thailand as Qatar keep dream alive

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MELBOURNE, Oct 11, (Agencies): Genki Haraguchi scored an early goal but gave away a second-half penalty as Japan drew 1-1 with Australia in a pulsating World Cup qualifier in Melbourne on Tuesday.

Haraguchi got Japan off to a flying start by scoring in the fifth minute at Docklands stadium but the visitors’ celebrations were tempered when the midfielder made a clumsy challenge on forward Tomi Juric shortly after the break.

Socceroos captain Mile Jedinak slotted home the spot-kick in the 52nd minute to salvage a point for the hosts but both the Asian heavyweights were left frustrated after chances went begging in a high-tempo second half.

The result left each team with their World Cup destiny in their hands, but Japan will leave more satisfied after shrugging off fatigue and injury concerns to hold the Asian Cup champions.

Australia coach Ange Postecoglou started Juric up front, with veteran forward Tim Cahill playing the last 20 minutes off the bench.

Talisman Cahill, the match-winner against Japan at the 2006 World Cup, was loudly cheered by the crowd of 48,000 when he came on but was unable to influence the game.

Australia paid the price for an early mistake by defender Trent Sainsbury.

Keisuke Honda laid off a superb pass for Haraguchi to run on to and he finished with a deft left-foot shot that slid beneath keeper Mat Ryan’s outstretched leg.

Rattled, Australia lifted their work-rate but were devoid of ideas going forward in a sluggish first half.

They were lucky not to be 2-0 down in the 28th minute when Honda, afforded space at the edge of the area, fired straight at the keeper.

A more enterprising Socceroos team emerged after the break, and were rewarded when Haraguchi fouled into Juric in the box.

Jedinak hammered his spot kick straight down the centre.

A brilliant, diving save by Ryan denied Yu Kobayashi in the 74th minute, the keeper’s right glove stopping the midfielder’s header.

Japan also endured a nerve-jangling finish, with defender Matthew Spiranovic latching on to a free kick from Massimo Luongo but sending the header over shortly before stoppage time.

A first-half strike from Sardar Azmoun gave Iran victory over South Korea in Tehran to move to top of Group A with 10 points.

Azmoun, 21, scored goal number 16 in just his 22nd appearance for Iran, which dominated the game in front of almost 100,000 fans at the Azadi Stadium.

South Korea, aiming for a ninth successive appearance at the World Cup, struggled to threaten and is left in third place in the group with seven points, two behind Uzbekistan in second place.

Mohannad Abdulraheem scored all four goals as Iraq beat Thailand for its first points in Group B.

Abdulraheem scored two goals in each half against a team that finished with 10 men after Koravit Namwiset was sent off with 20 minutes remaining.

Qatar salvaged some hope of reaching the 2018 World Cup finals with a narrow and desperately needed victory against Syria in a crucial Group A Asian qualifier on Tuesday.

The 1-0 victory, secured by a first half Hasan Al-Haydos penalty, brought to an end a run of three consecutive group defeats. The three points also lifted the ambitious Gulf nation off the bottom of the group above China and four points behind South Korea in the third-placed play-off position after four games.

They are six points behind second-placed Uzbekistan, who occupy one of the automatic qualification positions, and it still remains likely that the first ever World Cup finals game Qatar play will be when they host the competition in 2022.

The defeat leaves Syria in fourth, one place above Qatar, on four points.

Tuesday’s victory was hard-fought yet deserved and it was fitting that the only goal was scored by Al-Haydos, in the 37th minute, who proved a constant threat to Syria’s defence.

Indeed it was his jinking run which forced the penalty.

The playmaker turned past one defender before being tripped by Mouaiad Al-Midani.

He slotted home the penalty himself.

Qatar should have doubled the lead seven minutes later when Sebastian Soria was clean through but his weak shot was cleared by a covering defender.

Soria had another chance in the 50th minute when again he was put clean through, this time by Qatar’s La Liga-playing teenage star Akram Afif, but again the Uruguayan-born star fluffed his chance.

Then Al-Haydos had two chances in three minutes.

He forced a fine save from goalkeeper Ibrahim Alma in the 69th minute before having a shot blocked in the 72nd minute.

Qatar, who have a habit of letting in late goals in qualifiers, were made to sweat for their victory.

Jorge Fossati’s team anxiously saw out the final 10 minutes when Syria, roared on by a vocal number of fans in the 9,940 crowd, went close to scoring twice.

In the 80th minute Mahmoud Almawas fired narrowly wide before Qatar goalkeeper Saad Al-Sheeb made a spectacular save from a long-range free kick.

Qatar hung on and will have a chance to build on this victory when they travel to China for their next qualifier in November.

Syria play group leaders Iran in their next game.

China’s bid to qualify for the 2018 World Cup suffered a crushing blow after they were outclassed 2-0 by Uzbekistan in a crucial Group A Asian qualifier on Tuesday.

The Chinese, who have invested heavily in football and also plan to bid for the 2030 World Cup, came apart in Tashkent with Uzbekistan scoring twice in the second half through Marat Bikaev and Otabek Shukurov.

Tuesday’s victory put the Uzbeks in command of their group with three wins from four matches, while China languish in fifth place with only a point to show for their efforts so far.

The Central Asians, who have never featured in the quadrennial sporting showpiece, raised their game in the second half and opened their account through Bikmaev in the 50th minute, the Lokomotiv Tashkent forward blasting the ball home after playmaker Eldor Shomurodov had split the Chinese defence with a brilliant pass.

The Uzbeks dictated the game thereon and came close to scoring again moments later, but Igor Sergeev’s shot crashed back off the post.

But with five minutes remaining, the hosts wrapped up their much deserved three points after substitute Shukurov’s speculative effort took a lucky deflection off Zhang Chengdong and rolled into the net.

Uzbekistan could have boosted their tally in injury time only for Jaloliddin Masharipov’s shot to ricochet off the post, but the hosts were not complaining as they established themselves as genuine contenders for a Russia 2018 spot.

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