Iraqi sparkle ousts China

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-15  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

IRAQ kept its 2010 World Cup hopes alive and buried those of China after Nashat Akram's second-half goal gave the visitors a 2-1 win in the third round of Asian qualifying yesterday.

Emad Mohammed's headed goal four minutes from halftime got the Asian champion back into the match after China had taken the lead just after the half-hour mark in Tianjin.

Akram's 66th-minute strike means IRAQ will go into its final Group 1 match against Qatar, which was playing Australia later yesterday, with at least a chance of progressing to South Africa.

China, which needed a win to remain in the hunt for the second trip to the World Cup finals, had opened the scoring in the 33rd when Zheng Zhi and Zhou Haibin combined neatly for the latter to score from an indirect free kick.

China was eliminated with only three points in five games. IRAQ has seven points in five games while Australia and Qatar also have seven points but from four games.

IRAQ captain Younis Mahmoud went off with an injury after only 11 minutes.

China's ouster could spell trouble for manager Vladimir Petrovic. Petrovic is handling the team with head coach Radomir Dujkovic, who also coaches the Olympic team.

China qualified for the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, where the team lost all three group games and failed to score a goal.

Elsewhere, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea reached the final stage of Asian qualifying with a 2-0 win over Jordan yesterday, ensuring neighbor South Korea also progressed.

Two goals from Hong Yong-jo gave North Korea 11 points from five games, meaning it can finish no lower than second in Group 3, and therefore progresses to the final 10-team round that will decide Asia's berths at South Africa 2010.

Jordan needed at least a draw to remain in contention, and defeat meant it cannot catch South Korea, which was playing at Turkmenistan later, for one of the top two berths.