Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They
AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e
BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German
Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who
By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an
Navigation
Primary Navigation
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Secondary Navigation
Australia
China
India
Indonesia
Japan
Malaysia
Philippines
Thailand
Vietnam
Search
Search:
Last-gasp Australia take huge step towards World Cup
AFP - 2 hours 41 minutes ago
MANAMA (AFP) - - Australia kept their 100 percent World Cup qualifying record intact with a last-gasp 1-0 win over Bahrain while Group One rivals Japan secured a crucial 3-0 victory in Qatar.
The result left the Soceroos with nine points from three wins out of three and Japan in second two points adrift, with Qatar on four points after four games. Bahrain and Uzbekistan remain locked at the bottom on one point.
In Group Two, Iran were left frustrated after coming away with just a point after drawing 1-1 against the United Arab Emirates, but South Korea were left happy after posting a 2-0 away win over Saudi Arabia.
The South Koreans moved to top spot in the group on seven points from three matches, Iran in second on five, and North Korea and Saudi Arabia locked for third spot on four points. The UAE remain winless in fifth and final place.
The top two teams in each group in the Asian qualifiers will claim automatic berths for the 2010 World Cup, while the third-placed teams will play each other home-and-away with the winner advancing to the inter-confederation play-off with New Zealand.
In Manama, Australia left it late against Bahrain, the all-important goal coming three minutes into injury time, and against the run of play, when Palermo midfielder Marco Bresciano beat a couple of defenders to shoot past goalkeeper Sayed Jaffer.
"Bahrain played very well and we didn't but we were lucky to get these three points. We did not deserve it. We would have been happy with one point," said Australia's Dutch coach Pim Verbeek.
"It was a top game but we never really had any control over this game. I tried to change a few things in the second-half as we were running backwards in the first."
A rejuventated Japan outclassed Qatar in Doha with Tatsuya Tanaka, Kieji Tamada and Tulio Tanaka scoring for a comprehensive 3-0 win to energise their campaign after a lacklustre 1-1 home draw with Uzbekistan earlier had prompted calls from some critics for coach Takeshi Okada's sacking.
"We always expected to win but we thought it would be a close match," Okada said.
Bruno Metsu, under whom Qatar have now conceded seven goals in two World Cup qualifying games, admitted his players were outclassed.
"We didn't play well at all," the Frenchman said. "We didn't create many chances, nor did we defend properly."
In Group Two, Iran's plans of getting full points against hosts UAE were dashed when they were held to a 1-1 draw.
The visitors were completely dominated at the Al Maktoum Stadium and it was only a late goal against the run of play which fetched them a point.
They also had goalkeeper Seyed Rahmati to thank for several magical saves.
The UAE, who lost two key players, Ali Abbas and Subait Khater, even before the match began when they were penalised for breaking the team curfew, took the lead in the 19th minute through their captain Abdulraheem Jumaa.
Fittingly, it was Iran captain Karim Bagheri who restored parity for his side in the 80th minute.
"We knew this would be a difficult match for us," Bagheri said. "We would have wanted to take full three points from this match, but will now have to beat South Korea to make sure we are on track for South Africa."
The South Koreans took advantage of Saudi Arabia losing Naif Hazazi, who was red-carded for diving, to secure a vital 2-0 win in Riyadh.
The visitors scored through Lee Keun Ho in the 77th minute and AS Monaco striker Park Chu Young one minute into injury time of the second-half.
"We prepared very well for the match because we believed it would be a tough game," said South Korea coach Huh Jung-moo.
Saudi coach Nasser Al Johar admitted Hazizi's red card had been the turning point.
"It changed everything as we lost a good player and a chance to take the lead," he said.
Email Story
IM Story
Printable View
Blog This
Recommend this article
Average (0 votes)
Sign in to recommend this article »
Most Recommended Stories »
Related Articles: Asia Pacific
SKoreans float more propaganda leaflets into NorthAP - 11 minutes ago
Ex-Gitmo detainee asks police to end restrictionsAP - 42 minutes ago
Sri Lanka takes Tiger defences, kills scores: defence ministryAFP - 52 minutes ago
Philippine military send medical teams to fight typhoid outbreakAFP - 54 minutes ago
S’pore stem cell researchers score breakthrough for diabetes treatmentChannel NewsAsia - 1 hour 6 minutes ago
Most Popular – Asia Pacific
Viewed
Obama girls visit their future White House home
US economy faces 'catastrophic collapse' without auto bailout: GM
Saudi super-tanker taken to Somali pirate lair
Exercise, sleep cuts cancer risk: study
Citigroup to slash 50,000 jobs, expenses worldwide
View Complete List »
Search:
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular