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THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015 SPORTS Asian powers unconvincing in WCup qualifying SEOUL: The four power teams of Asian friendly but could not find the net group with four points from its two trouble at home. Uli Stielike’s Koreans Qatar due to the ongoing conflict football avoided defeat in their opening against Singapore. The Blue Samurai are games. looked comfortable at the back but slug- around Sana’a. “At this moment, we can’t World Cup qualifiers, yet none put in already two points down on what they Australia enjoyed a stroke of luck in gish going forward, and both goals play at home because there is a war,” performances that will dispel the doubts would have expected in Group E of the the second minute against Kyrgyzstan. came from set pieces. Son Heung-min Yemen’s Czech coach Miroslav Soukup about the strength of the region’s teams second qualifying round, in which 40 Mile Jedinak’s free-kick took a freak provided the first for Lee Jae-sung and told The Associated Press. “If we could following their combined winless record teams are split into eight groups of five bounce in the penalty area and went in. the Bayer Leverkusen star added a sec- you would see tens of thousands of pas- at the 2014 World Cup. with first place yielding an automatic Thereafter, the Asian champion strug- ond from a free-kick. sionate supporters in the stadium, the Almost 60,000 saw Japan held to a spot in the final round along with the gled to find any fluency against the “It’s just important to get the three atmosphere would be amazing and the scoreless draw at home by Singapore, four best-performing runners-up. committed host and was relieved to points,” Son said. “We are one of the situation would be very different. In ranked 154 in the world, in a disappoint- “I’ve never seen a situation like this come away from Bishkek with a 2-1 win. strongest teams in Asia but we know Doha, everyone is very friendly but this ing first competitive game under new before in my career,” said Halilhodzic, “I’m glad it was that sort of game in that we will face tough games like is not our home and we can only use the coach Vahid Halilhodzic; Iran too was appointed in February after Japan’s dis- some sense because it’s given the guys a tonight. We got the result we wanted stadium for official training.” held to a draw against lowly missal of Javier Aguirre. “We kept creat- taste of what World Cup qualifying is all and now it’s time to look forward.” With the major powers struggling, Turkmenistan; while Australia and South ing chances and the players gave every- about.” coach Ange Postecoglou said. Myanmar was one of a number of the smaller nations shone. Guam tops Korea — the two finalists from the Asian thing to get the win. The only thing that Iran, still coached by Carlos Queiroz, nations forced to host games abroad: Iran’s group with six points from the Cup in January — labored to wins over was missing was a goal. It’s difficult to was held 1-1 at Turkmenistan despite Yemen has hosted its home game in opening two games after beating India modest Kyrgyzstan and Myanmar accept but there is no need to be taking an early lead through star young Qatar, Palestine in Saudi Arabia, Timor 2-1. In Group A, Palestine thrashed respectively. despondent.” Singapore, whose coach striker Sardar Azmoun. Leste in Malaysia and Afghanistan in Malaysia 6-0 in Kuala Lumpur, and North Japan, boasting stars such as Keisuke Bernd Stange said before the game that South Korea was relieved to win 2-0 Iran. Syria and Iraq will also need to find Korea downed Group H favorite Honda, Shinji Kagawa and Shinji it would be a “world sensation” if his against Myanmar, which had to ‘host’ the a second ‘home’ later in the round. Uzbekistan 4-2 to move level on points Okazaki, defeated Iraq 4-0 in a lead-up team took a point from Japan, tops the game in Bangkok after recent crowd Yemen lost 2-1 to the Philippines in with the Philippines. —AP Argentina win over Uruguay LA SERENA: Sergio Aguero’s superb diving had their chances too, Diego Godin head- header gave Argentina a 1-0 victory over ing just over towards the end of the half. River Plate rivals Uruguay at the Copa The atmosphere was tense and when America on Tuesday. Martino jumped from the bench to remon- Aguero met a 56th-minute cross from strate with the match officials, the Brazilian his Manchester City team mate Pablo referee sent him off. He spent the rest of Zabaleta and buried an unstoppable effort the match watching through a window, past Uruguayan goalkeeper Fernando high in the stands. Muslera at his front post. Eleven minutes after the break, Aguero Argentina coach Gerardo Martino was made the breakthrough. Javier Pastore banished to the stands for arguing with the started the move with some trickery in match officials after just half an hour of a midfield before threading the ball down stormy encounter which frequently threat- the right wing for Zabaleta, who crossed ened to boil over. into the box for Aguero to score. The result left Argentina and Paraguay The Uruguayans finally came out of their level at the top of Group B with four points shell and had their chances to equalise. each, ahead of Uruguay on three. Jamaica, Striker Diego Rolan squandered their best who lost 1-0 to Paraguay earlier in the day, opportunity on 75 minutes, scooping the are bottom without a point ahead of the ball over from six yards after goalkeeper final round of group matches on Saturday. Sergio Romero had parried Alvaro Pereira’s The Argentines took the game to their stinging shot. Argentina face Jamaica in opponents from the start and Aguero their final group match in Vina del Mar on almost gave them the lead with a header Saturday while defending champions from a Lionel Messi cross after 25 minutes, Uruguay stay in La Serena to take on forcing a fine reflex save from Muslera. Paraguay in a repeat of the last Copa Uruguay made a more cautious start but America final in 2011. —Reuters VANCOUVER: United States’ Julie Johnston (right) and Nigeria’s Courtney Dike watch the ball during the first half of a FIFA Women’s World Cup soccer game. —AP Do-or-die for US, Aussies in Women’s World Cup VANCOUVER: Having escaped the ‘group of captain’s World Cup tally to 14 and moved her progress,” said Australian coach Alen Stajci. “A death’, it is now do-or-die for the United States into a tie for second on the all-time list with tough game and not a pretty one to watch per- and Australia after advancing to the knockout Germany’s Birgit Prinz. haps, but this gives us so much belief that we round of the Women’s World Cup on Tuesday. “I think it is important people understand can take on the best and beat them in the In a pool featuring three sides ranked in the scoring goals in not that easy,” said Wambach, knockout rounds. top 10 and the top African nation Nigeria, there though she has made it look routine with 183 “Any team that comes up against will have a may be no tougher route to the July 5 title for her country. “I’m not making excuses I need fight on their hands.” There will be no shortage game than from Group D, but the US (2) and to finish chances that are handed to me. “I just of confidence in the Japan (3-0-0) camp after Australia (10) navigated the first stretch hitting think if I score goals I am helping my team win the defending champions posted three straight only a few bumps along the way. games and now it is do-or-die, you win to move wins to comfortably take top spot in Group C The U.S. (2-1-0) clinched top spot with a on.” ahead of African debutants Cameroon (2-0-1). testy 1-0 win over Nigeria that included a red Australia (1-1-1) grabbed the runnerup spot Yuki Ogimi’s fifth minute goal accounted for card and finished with the Super Falcons coach in the group after holding on for a 1-1 draw all the scoring as Japan stopped determined Edwin Okon refusing to shake his opposite with Sweden, who closed out round-robin play Ecuador 1-0. The South Americans, outscored number American Jill Ellis’s hand. The sour fin- without a victory (0-3-0) but could still advance 16-1 in their opening two contests, put up a ish did not take away from sweet victory for the as one of the best third-place finishers. brave effort against the champions but never Americans, whose defence has been air-tight in Having survived a tough group, the really threatened, exiting the tournament with- not conceding a goal in 243 minutes, even if Americans and Australians believe they are bet- out a win. LA SERENA: Uruguay’s Jose Maria Gimenez (right) goes for a header with their attack has sputtered. ter for the experience, emerging battle-tested Cameroon scored two second half goals to Argentina’s Javier Mascherano (left), Argentina’s Nicolas Otamendi (back Abby Wambach, the all-time leading scorer and ready to take on any and all challengers.

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