Gao out after loss to Uzbekistan
Print Edition
CHINA’S hopes of automatic qualification for the 2018 World Cup in Russia took another hit in a 0-2 loss to Uzbekistan last night, leading to coach Gao Hongbo handing in his resignation.
Gao had returned for a second stint as coach in February after the dismissal of Frenchman Alain Perrin.
China, which has qualified for only one World Cup in its history, has one point from four games in Group A. Uzbekistan, which has also beaten Syria and Qatar, has nine points.
Iran and South Korea, with seven points each, were facing each other later.
The top two of the six teams in Groups A and B will qualify automatically for the World Cup, with the two third-place teams going to a fourth-round match to decide which of them makes the intercontinental playoffs.
Earlier, a second-half penalty from Mile Jedinak gave Australia a 1-1 draw against Japan in Melbourne yesterday.
Genki Haraguchi had put Japan ahead in the sixth minute after a mistake from the Australian backline, but the Hertha Berlin forward gave away a penalty early in the second half with a push on Tomi Juric.
Jedinak, who plays for Aston Villa, then scored from the spot.
“We expected a reaction from ourselves and that’s what we got,” Jedinak said. “Second half we were a bit more patient, our movement was better and we put them on the back foot.”
The draw is Australia’s second in a row, following a 2-2 result against Saudi Arabia last Thursday, and leaves the Socceroos unbeaten with eight points from four Group B games. Japan has seven points.
Also in Group B, Mohannad Abdulraheem scored all four goals as Iraq beat host Thailand 4-0 for its first points.
Abdulraheem scored two goals in each half against a team that finished with 10 men after Koravit Namwiset was sent off with 20 minutes remaining.
Thailand has lost all four of its games.
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