World Cup qualifying: China hosts two vital matches
By JOHN DUERDEN, Associated Press Writer
SEOUL, South Korea - The soccer World Cup prospects of some of Asia's
strongest teams will be tested in China when its hosts two vital qualification
matches.
Not only does China take on Australia, but North and South Korea will
meet in a much anticipated game in Shanghai.
North Korea's refusal to fly the South's flag and play the South Korean
anthem prompted FIFA to relocate the game from Pyongyang to Shanghai's
Hongkou Stadium.
With one game of the third round of qualification already completed, 20
Asian nations are still on the road to South Africa in 2010. The top two
teams from each of the five four-team groups will progress to the final
stage of continental qualification.
The two Koreas occupy the top two spots of Group 3. North Korea won 1-0
in Jordan while the South thrashed Turkmenistan 4-0 at Seoul.
The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in February's East Asian championship,
also held in China, but this time South Korea coach Huh Jung-moo has summoned
his English-based players.
Park Ji-sung of Manchester United has made the journey east along with
Fulham's Seol Ki-hyeon, Lee Young-pyo of Tottenham and new West Bromwich
Albion midfielder Kim Do-heon.
"It would be great to have more players like Park," Huh said
as he departed for Shanghai. "He can play in many positions and makes
my job easier.
"North Korea is a team that is strong on the counterattack with fast
and dangerous strikers but we are in pretty good shape."
China's decision to play Group 1 rival Australia at Kunming, at an altitude
of almost 2,000 meters (6,562 feet), has provoked a few comments from
the Socceroos.
"It's going to be a real challenge," West Ham defender Lucas
Neill told Australian media. "Altitude, China away. Probably a dodgy
hotel, dodgy food, a dodgy ground _ they'll try and do everything they
can to test our character."
It should certainly be a tougher test than the one provided by Qatar at
Melbourne in February, especially as Premier League stars Brett Emerton
and Tim Cahill are absent.
Coach Pim Verbeek's first game in charge of Australia ended with a 3-0
win, the same night China drew 1-1 with Asian Cup champion Iraq.
"China have to win," Verbeek said. "There is no doubt about
that _ a draw is not good enough and a loss will probably mean the end
of qualification. The pressure is much more on their shoulders than ours."
Iraq faces Qatar after firing Norwegian coach Egil Olsen and reinstating
former player Adnan Hamad in February.
Asian powerhouse Japan should be able to establish control of Group 2.
After defeating Thailand 4-1 in Saitama last month, Japan takes on Bahrain.
Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura wasn't recalled for the match, while
Eintracht Frankfurt player Junichi Inamoto has withdrawn with a thigh
strain.
Saudi Arabia lived up to its billing as Group 4 favorite with a 2-0 win
over Singapore in its opening game, but faces a tougher task in Tashkent,
where Uzbekistan is aiming for revenge for its 2007 Asian Cup quarterfinal
defeat.
Whatever the result in Central Asia, both teams should progress to the
next round. Singapore and Lebanon, both winless, meet in the other match.
Group 5 is an all West Asian affair. Iran has failed to score in its last
six games, a barren run that includes a surprise goalless draw at home
to Syria in the opening World Cup qualifier at Tehran.
In order to rectify the situation, Iran appointed Ali Daei _ the man who
has scored more international goals than anybody in the world _ as national
coach this month and he faces his first test against Kuwait.
"We have only ourselves to blame for not defeating Syria," Daei
was quoted as saying ahead of Kuwait city match. "Missing too many
chances at home is not the best start, but I am sure that we will recover."
The United Arab Emirates leads the group after a 2-0 defeat of Kuwait,
but coach Bruno Metsu will face a tougher task in Syria.
,
March 25th 2008
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