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Asian teams start World Cup quest
(China Daily)
Updated: 2004-02-18 09:20
Asia sets out on the long road to the 2006 World Cup finals this week as
qualifying for football's greatest showcase starts in earnest across the region.
Chinese
national team players attend a training session.
[newsphoto] |
Thirty-two teams will take part in 16 games today, with big guns Japan, South
Korea, Iran and Saudi Arabia all entering the fray following last year's
preliminary round.
Teams have been split into eight groups of four, with the winners from each
pool advancing to the crucial final phase of qualifying that will determine the
four or possibly five Asian representatives at the next World Cup.
Though the heavyweights are expected to secure their place in the next phase
with little difficulty, none are leaving anything to chance with most sides
aiming to be at full-strength.
Asian champions Japan, who enjoyed their best ever appearance at a World Cup
finals when they reached the last 16 on home soil in 2002, have recalled their
Europe-based stars for their Group 3 opener with Oman.
Now coached by Brazilian legend Zico, the Japanese have indicated they have
finally recovered from the hangover that followed their heroics during the
finals two years ago.
They warmed up for today's game in Saitama by defeating Iraq 2-0 last week,
and will be bolstered by the return of Hidetoshi Nakata from Italy, Fulham's
Junichi Inamoto, and striker Naohiro Takahara from Hamburg.
India and Singapore make up what should be a straightforward group for the
Japanese to negotiate.
Like Japan, South Korea are leaving nothing to chance as they kick off Group
7 against Lebanon today, with Viet Nam playing the Maldives in the pool's other
fixture.
After confounding all expectations by reaching the semi-finals of the 2002
World Cup where they were beaten by Germany, South Korea have endured a dip in
form since.
Portuguese coach Humberto Coelho has struggled to win over fans since taking
over in the wake of Dutchman Guus Hiddink's inspirational stewardship.
The Koreans came dangerously close to being knocked out of the Asian Cup in
qualifying before squeezing through last year, although will now have a
full-strength squad at his disposal.
Korea's foreign legion plying their trade abroad have all been drafted into
the squad with forwards such as Japan-based Ahn Jung-Hwan, Seol Ki-Hyeon of
Anderlect in Belgium, PSV Eindhoven's Park Ji-Sung and Cha Du-Ri of German
outfit Bayer Leverkusen all back in.
Lebanon are likely to present South Korea with their toughest challenge, and
will be looking to playmaker Roda Antar to cause the home side problems.
Antar has enjoyed a superb season in the Bundesliga so far, impressing for SC
Freiburg.
Meanwhile, Group 4 sees rapidly improving China open their campaign against
Kuwait in Guangzhou, a match likely to go a long way towards determining the
winners of the pool, which also includes Hong Kong and Malaysia.
Having qualified for their first ever World Cup at the 2002 finals - where
they lost all three matches - China are desperate to build on that record with a
second successful qualifying campaign.
Dutch Coach Arie Haan also knows that a strong start to World Cup qualifying
is essential if his team are to head into this summer's Asian Cup finals in
China with confidence.
But China's hopes of victory against Kuwait have been dealt a cruel blow by a
serious leg injury to influential midfielder Li Tie of English Premiership side
Everton.
"Li Tie may have suffered a broken leg in training," China's assistant coach
Wu Jingui told Hong Kong reporters during a spying mission to Kuwait's training
camp in Hong Kong.
"It's bad news - very bad news for us and the team," Wu added.
In West Asia, Iran and Saudi Arabia are favourites to advance though the
Iranians have potentially awkward matches against Qatar and Jordan, the surprise
package of last year's Asian Cup qualifiers.
Iran kick off against Qatar in Tehran today, with Jordan facing Southeast
Asian minnows Laos in the other Group 1 game.
Saudi Arabia, who have qualified for the last three World Cups but who were
memorably walloped 10-1 by Germany during the 2002 finals, are expected to top
Group 8 which includes Indonesia, Turkmenistan and Sri Lanka.
The United Arab Emirates, participants in the 1990 finals in Italy, are
expected to top Group 5 but could face stiff resistance from Thailand, who have
made great strides under Brazilian coach Roberto de Carvalho.
The UAE play the Thais in Dubai today and approach the game in some disarray
having sacked former coach Roy Hodgson late last year. The Democratic People's
Republic of Korea and Yemen complete the group.
World Cup 2006 Asian
qualifying schedule
Group 1 Iran, Qatar, Jordan, Laos Fixtures
18/02/2004: Iran v Qatar, Jordan v Laos
31/03/2004: Jordan v Qatar, Laos v Iran
09/06/2004: Iran v Jordan, Qatar v Laos
08/09/2004: Jordan v Iran, Laos v Qatar
13/10/2004: Laos v Jordan, Qatar v Iran
17/11/2004: Qatar v Jordan, Iran v Laos
Group 2
Uzbekistan, Iraq, Palestine, Chinese Taipei
Fixtures
18/02/2004: Uzbekistan v Iraq, Palestine v Chinese Taipei
31/03/2004: Palestine v Iraq, Chinese Taipei v Uzbekistan
09/06/2004: Uzbekistan v Palestine, Iraq v Chinese Taipei
08/09/2004: Palestine v Uzbekistan, Chinese Taipei v Iraq
13/10/2004: Chinese Taipei v Palestine, Iraq v Uzbekistan
17/11/2004: Iraq v Palestine, Uzbekistan v Chinese Taipei
Group 3
Japan, Oman, India, Singapore
Fixtures
18/02/2004: Japan v Oman, India v Singapore
31/03/2004: India v Oman, Singapore v Japan
09/06/2004: Japan v India, Oman v Singapore
08/09/2004: India v Japan, Singapore v Oman
13/10/2004: Singapore v India, Oman v Japan
17/11/2004: Oman v India, Japan v Singapore
Group 4
China, Kuwait, Malaysia, Hong Kong
Fixtures
18/02/2004: China v Kuwait, Malaysia v Hong Kong
31/03/2004: Malaysia v Kuwait, Hong Kong v China
09/06/2004: China v Malaysia, Kuwait v Hong Kong
08/09/2004: Malaysia v China, Hong Kong v Kuwait
13/10/2004: Hong Kong v Malaysia, Kuwait v China
17/11/2004: Kuwait v Malaysia, China v Hong Kong
Group 5
United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Yemen, DPR Korea
Fixtures
18/02/2004: UAE v Thailand, Yemen v DPR Korea
31/03/2004: Yemen v Thailand, DPR Korea v UAE
09/06/2004: UAE v Yemen, Thailand v DPR Korea
08/09/2004: Yemen v UAE, DPR Korea v Thailand
13/10/2004: DPR Korea v Yemen, Thailand v UAE
17/11/2004: Thailand v Yemen, UAE v DPR Korea
Group 6
Bahrain, Syria, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan
Fixtures
18/02/2004: Bahrain v Syria, Kyrgyzstan v Tajikistan
31/03/2004: Kyrgyzstan v Syria, Tajikistan v Bahrain
09/06/2004: Bahrain v Kyrgyzstan, Syria v Tajikistan
08/09/2004: Kyrgyzstan v Bahrain, Tajikistan v Syria
13/10/2004: Tajikistan v Kyrgyzstan, Syria v Bahrain
17/11/2004: Syria v Kyrgyzstan, Bahrain v Tajikistan
Group 7
South Korea, Lebanon, Viet Nam, Maldives
Fixtures
18/02/2004: South Korea v Lebanon, Viet Nam v Maldives
31/03/2004: Viet Nam v Lebanon, Maldives v South Korea
09/06/2004: South Korea v Viet Nam, Lebanon v Maldives
08/09/2004: Viet Nam v South Korea, Maldives v Lebanon
13/10/2004: Viet Nam v Maldives, Lebanon v South Korea
17/11/2004: Lebanon v Viet Nam, South Korea v Maldives
Group 8
Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Turkmenistan, Sri Lanka
Fixtures
18/02/2004: Saudi Arabia v Indonesia, Turkmenistan v Sri Lanka
31/03/2004: Turkmenistan v Indonesia, Sri Lanka v Saudi Arabia
09/06/2004: Saudi Arabia v Turkmenistan, Indonesia v Sri Lanka
08/09/2004: Turkmenistan v Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka v Indonesia
13/10/2004: Sri Lanka v Turkmenistan, Indonesia v Saudi Arabia
17/11/2004: Indonesia v Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia v Sri Lanka
Note: Eight group winners advance to final round of qualifying.
(China Daily 02/18/2004
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