Comment: Night Of Shocks, Drama And Action In Asia

It’s early days of course – Australia and South Korea haven’t even started yet, their turns come on Wednesday – but it was an exciting night of football around West Asia. And in northern Europe the Aussies even managed to deflect some of the attention away from the World Cup action with an impressive 2-1 friendly win in the Netherlands that will greatly please Dutch boss Pim Verbeek.

Surprises? There were a few. Perhaps the 3-0 demolition that Uzbekistan suffered at the hands of the unfancied Qatar was the biggest. The Central Asians’ status as the lightest of dark horses in Group A lasted all until Majdi Siddiq gave the hosts a first-half lead in Doha. Two second-half goals ensured a comfortable victory for Jorge Fossati’s men and an early spot at the top of the group.

For Uzbekistan it is a blow, naturally, but there is still time. Next Wednesday’s home match against the Socceroos just became that bit more important and it promises to be a cracker.

There were a few eyebrows raised on a steamy Abu Dhabi evening not least because North Korea finally conceded a goal but the team actually scored two away from home to win 2-1 against UAE. The red men spent the first half frustrating the hosts –though still gave away a couple of opportunities – and then at half-time seemed to realise that the game was there to be won.

Two goals in quick succession, one an own goal and the other a super strike, sent the home fans into despair (many left) and/or anger (others threw things on the pitch).  When order and the game was restored, UAE immediately pulled a goal back but couldn’t find the all important equaliser much to the disgust of boss Bruno Metsu. The result puts North Korea on top of Group B and in a fine position to take on South Korea in Shanghai on Wednesday though the team is sure to be tired after ten minutes of injury time, hot and humid conditions and a long flight back to East Asia.

The game of the night was in Manama where what looked like a comfortable victory for Japan descended into nail-biting chaos in the closing stages as Bahrain fought back to bring the score to 3-2.

Before the match coach Takeshi Okada voiced his concerns about the potency of his strikers. That question has still to be answered but if the midfield contributes three goals on a regular basis then it matters not what the frontmen do. It started with a Shunsuke Nakamura free-kick daisy-cutter special that somehow made it through the wall and Yasuhito Endo put the visitors further ahead from the spot and when Kengo Nakamura made it 3-0 five minutes from time, it was game over.

Nobody told Bahrain that however. Salman Isa quickly pulled back what looked to be a consolation but when Marcus Tulio Tanaka scored an own goal just seconds later, it ensured a frantic and nervy finish. Japan hung on for the welcome win –though the last few minutes ensured that the smile disappeared from the face of coach Okada by the end -and revenge for March’s 1-0 loss in the same city.

Bahrain head to Qatar on Wednesday where another defeat could end dreams of a top two spot and an automatic place in South Africa almost before they’ve even begun.

The only draw of the round came in Riyadh where Saudi Arabia and Iran shared the points and two goals. It was a game of two halves – the Saudis dominated the first and really should have scored more than Saad Al Haarthi’s strike and Iran were on top in the second. Javad Nekounam is in fine form these days and headed home late in the game to earn what could be a precious point.

Saudi Arabia travel to UAE on Wednesday in what promises to be a tense tussle. If we have a similar night then we are in for a treat.

John Duerden

Asia Editor

john.duerden@goal.com