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Asian Cup Group B Match 3 Review
Uzbekistan 3 – 1 Saudi Arabia – AAMI Park
Uzbekistan overcame a controversial penalty to claim their spot in the knockout stages following a 3-1 triumph against Saudi Arabia at AAMI Park on Sunday evening.
Uzbek wonder kid Sardor Rashidov was the hero, as he netted a brace to send his side into the next stage of the Asian Cup where they will meet South Korea who pipped the Socceroos for top spot.
The White Wolves’ boss Mirjalol Qosimov made five changes, which saw their playmaker Server Djeparov left on the bench along with inform goalscorer Igor Sergeev, but the risk paid off inside two minutes through Rashidov. The Bunyodkor wide-man pounced on some sloppy passing from the Saudis and burst through a couple of half challenges before he smartly placed it in the far corner to make big on his opportunity in the first eleven.
The Saudis pressed on from conceding and ended up the better side at the break, but the absence of Nasser Al Shamrani was evident. The second period brought controversy as A-League referee Ben Williams awarded Saudi Arabia a soft penalty following a collision between Vitally Denisov and Naif Hazazi. The spot kick has not been a happy hunting ground for the Green Falcons having missed two already in previous matches, however Mohammed Al-Sahlawi made no mistake.
The game seemed to be out of reach for the Uzbeks who looked exhausted and that was justified when Jamshid Iskanderov made way for Vokhid Shodiev. The substitute made an instant impact as he put his side ahead with a looping header, although the Saudi keeper Abdullah Waleed was much to blame as he hesitated and got caught in no-mans land.
The second Uzbeks goal forced the Green Falcons to throw everyone forward which left huge gaps at the back and that resulted in Rashidov hammering the nail in the coffin and sending the White Wolves into euphoria. It was a Xabi Alonso like pass from Jasur Khasanov that created space for the 23-year-old to get his brace with a finish of extreme quality.
The result means Uzbekistan finish second in Group B and will meet South Korea next week, while Saudi Arabia will head home pondering how they could have done it different.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3qo3CPlPf9U
China PR 2 – 1 Korea DPR – Canberra Stadium
China remained undefeated in Group B with a 2-1 win over the lowly North Korea at Canberra Stadium on Sunday night.
The super sub from mid-week Sun Ke made the most of a first team berth with two goals coming from some horrid defending, which gives the Chinese plenty of momentum for their clash with the Socceroos in the quarter finals.
North Korea’s abysmal display against Saudi Arabia lingered as another comical mistake from centre back Jang Song-hyuk gifted Ke an early goal, which continued the winger’s goal scoring form after netting the winner from the bench against Uzbekistan on Wednesday.
China dominated the majority of proceedings in the opening stanza but rode their luck when Jong Il-gwah found himself one-on-one with Wang Dalel, although the Korean’s finish made Tomi Juric’s shock miss against South Korea look brilliant. The Chollima punished the squandered chance in the shadows of half time through Ke yet again, the 25-year-old headed home from close range following a delightfully whipped cross from full back Jiang Zhipeng that the Korean defenders failed to deal with.
After the interval North Korea began like a side that were playing for their tournament survival and the front foot approach provided the dividends for a second goal in 23 years of Asian Cup football off the thigh of China’s striker Gao Lin. However they could not conjure any more than that and bow out of the tournament without a point to their name at the bottom of Group B.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=L3w-Y93Zdbg
