Asian Football

[Messinterista]

A wins a win indeed and it alleviates a lot of pressure on the coach and the players but the problems are still there. Hopefully we can snare another two wins at home which will leave us with two matches after that to try our younger lads.

[Messinterista]

Uzbekistan? sorry bro. Very tight group still with you guys level with Qatar and Korea (who have a match in hand), anyone can still go through.
We beat Korea yesterday 2-1 after conceding an early goal. Wasn't expecting the win considering Holger blooded a few youngsters. Not sure if Korea were at full strength.

[Bagg10]

Yeah, before the game I said I'd be happy with a draw. Uzbekistan is a good side. We actually played a good game, organized and neat. They played 10 men behind the ball and scored off of a set play.

We have tough matches coming up. Away to Qatar, Lebanon at home (shouldn't be a difficult game), and finally S.Korea away. I'd be happy if we finish 3rd, but we''ll see what happens.

[Messinterista]

Going into this final round of qualifying I would have expected you guys to finish an easy second behind Korea.

[Messinterista]

Thompson hat-trick as Socceroos rout Guam

Striker Archie Thompson scored one of the fastest hat-tricks in international history in Australia's 9-0 romp over Guam in an East Asian Cup qualifier in Hong Kong on Friday.

Thompson came on as a second-half substitute and scored three goals in six minutes to give Australia an excellent chance of topping the five-team group ahead of Korea DPR on goal difference.

The Australians went into the game needing goals and Holger Oseick made eight changes to the starting team to freshen things up - with three debutants on show.

Socceroos line-up: Eugene Galekovic; Michael Marrone, Dino Djulbic, Matt Smith, Scott Jamieson; Mark Milligan, Aaron Mooy, Matt McKay; Terry Antonis, Tom Rogic, Eli Babalj.

Midfielder Aaron Mooy opened the scoring with brilliantly struck free kick after 12 minutes.

Striker Eli Babalj made it two seven minutes later after being served by his former Melbourne Heart team-mate Michael Marrone, who also was playing for Australia for the first time.

And the full-back made it three with a low left-foot shot just before half-time.

Babalj was on target again on 56 minutes with an easy tap-in, after skipper Matt McKay had slipped the ball past the oncoming keeper, before he was immediately replaced by Thompson.

It took Thompson only three minutes to get on the scoresheet when he turned his marker beautifully before he planted the ball into the far corner with a firm shoot to make it 5-0.

The Melbourne Victory striker made it six with a crisp shot after being well served by Terry Antonis as the Socceroos threatened to overrun a gallant but overwhelmed Guam.

Thompson got his hat-trick on 65 minutes when he converted a penalty after Scott Jamieson was brought down in the box.

The procession continued when Mark Milligan's point-blank header from Thompson's cross made it 8-0.

Richard Garcia scored within a minute of coming on as a substitute for captain Matt McKay to round off the scoring.

The margin should have been larger with debutant Dino Djulbic going close only to have his first-half header cleared off the line while Babalj and Mooy squandered a number of chances that appeared unmissable

Australia thoroughly dominated the 90 minutes with Mooy, McKay and Jamieson particularly effective in attack while Tomas Rogic again showed glimpses of his prodigious talent.

The result puts Australia level on seven points with DPR Korea after three pool matches. Both teams have a goal differential or +10 but the Koreans lead after having scored 12 goals to Australia's 11.

On Sunday, DPR Korea faces tournament host Hong Kong before the Socceroos face Chinese Taipei.

Source: http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/socceroo ... -rout-Guam

[Messinterista]

ACL RD16: Central Coast v Guangzhou Evergrande preview

Gosford: Central Coast Mariners coach Graham Arnold insists the A-League Grand Final winners will not be overawed by the daunting prospect of entertaining Chinese Super League champions Guangzhou Evergrande in their first leg of their AFC Champions League last 16 tie on Wednesday.
Having finally won the Grand Final with victory over Western Sydney Wanderers last month, Arnold’s side completed a memorable few weeks by becoming only the third A-League side to reach the knockout stage of the AFC Champions League after finishing second in Group H behind Japan’s Kashiwa Reysol.

And with Guangzhou topping Group F ahead of former champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Urawa Reds, Marcello Lippi’s side will make the trip to Gosford Stadium on Wednesday ahead of the return fixture in China week later with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.

“A cleansheet tomorrow night is important. If we can stop them getting an away goal then everything is possible for the second leg,” said Arnold (pictured).

“We will play our own way. They had a game on Friday night in Shanghai and they’ve had to travel here and it’s not easy travel. We are confident and hold no fear. I am very confident we will get the right result, but the first goal is to keep a cleansheet and just play our own way.

“There is no use changing the way we’ve played after playing 35 games this year and it’s been successful. We’ve tinkered with a few things after looking at Guangzhou and where we feel we can exploit them and hopefully that comes off.”

Following Group Stage exits in both 2009 and 2012, the Mariners secured a place in the last 16 for the first time this year despite a 3-0 home defeat by Emperor’s Cup winners Reysol on the final Matchday at the end of last month after China’s Guizhou Renhe failed to beat Suwon Bluewings.

With the defeat by Kashiwa, which was only the Mariners’ second home defeat in all competitions this season, marking Central Coast’s last competitive outing following the end of the A-League season, Graham Arnold’s side recently took on a domestic-based Australia squad who are preparing for next month’s final round of FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

“It’s been two weeks since we had our last game against Reysol and in the Reysol game the brains were only probably switched on for 60 minutes. But we have had a couple of good weeks training and it is a wonderful challenge for us to come up against one of the richest club’s in the world, but also one of the favourites in this competition,” added Arnold.

“I am really interested to see our best performance because we are going to have to play better than we do in the A-League. Our concentration has to be spot on for 95 minutes, our discipline has to be spot on, our ball retention has to be the best it’s ever been because if you give away any cheap ball they will kill you, they are that good.”

Guangzhou, meanwhile, remained three points clear at the top of the Chinese Super League after Gao Lin scored twice to secure a 3-0 win over Shanghai Shenhua on Friday.

Coach Lippi will be without midfielder Qin Sheng due to suspension, although defender Zhang Linpeng is eligible to return after missing the draw with Jeonbuk as Guangzhou look to advance to the quarter-finals for a second consecutive season.

“I notice that the Central Coast Mariners won the Australian Championship this year and I have seen videos from their AFC Champions League matches. They are very organised. We will have to see what happens tomorrow,” said Lippi.

“The Mariners are a very physical and organised team and we will have to put everything into the match tomorrow.

“Australia is a very civilised and beautiful country. The players aren’t the only ones who would like to go to the beach, but we’re not here for a holiday.

“A team that has won their country’s championship is a team with quality and good technique. That’s what I am expecting from the Mariners tomorrow night.”

Source: http://www.the-afc.com/en/acl-news/acl- ... 40513.html

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Kick off in 30 mins or so!

[Bagg10]

[Bagg10]

IRAN IS GOING TO BRAZIL!!!!!!

[Messinterista]

AUSTRALIA IS JOINING THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bagg10]

haha, CONGRATS TO YOU GUYS AS WELL!

[Bagg10]

[Messinterista]

I didn't see that match Bagg, what was Quiroz's problem?

[Bagg10]

[Bagg10]

Choi Kang-hee wants revenge for Iran’s ‘bad manners’

Written by Martin Reza Babry on June - 11 - 2013

Reuters – SEOUL, South Korea coach Choi Kang-hee said he wanted to crush Iran’s hopes of automatic World Cup qualification next week after being ‘badly treated’ in Tehran last year.

Choi’s side beat Uzbekistan 1-0 in Seoul on Tuesday, leaving them in a position to qualify for Brazil even if they lose to Iran at home in Ulsan next Tuesday.

The quirky coach, who had previously said he would step down once the team had qualified, said he wanted revenge after a 1-0 defeat in Tehran in October.

“I remember being badly treated in Iran,” Choi told reporters in Seoul.

“The manners they showed were not good…they were not hospitable. Aside from who makes it to the World Cup, I would like to beat Iran no matter what.

“Honestly, I dislike Iran more (than Uzbekistan). I hope Uzbekistan make it to the World Cup.”

Tuesday’s victory moved Korea on to 14 points from seven matches in Group A of Asian qualifying, three clear of the Uzbeks with Iran on 10 from six games. Only the top two are guaranteed a place at Brazil 2014.

Iran host Lebanon later on Tuesday before flying to Korea for their final fixture.

The two third-place finishers in the Asian qualifying groups will face off over two legs with the winners advancing to take on a South American side in two matches for a berth in Brazil.

Uzbekistan have never qualified for a World Cup but remained confident, despite the defeat, that three points in their final fixture at home to Qatar would be enough to change that.

“I think we lost nothing today; we still have a chance,” Uzbek coach Mirjalol Kasimov told reporters.

http://www.persianfootball.com/news/201 ... d-manners/

[maro]

Well, I guess the behaviour of the Iranians after the game will have done a lot to change his mind.

[Bagg10]

Iran complains to FIFA against South Korea’s football association

Persianfootball.com – TEHRAN, Iran’s football federation IRIFF has sent an official complaint to FIFA against South Korea’s football association due to the behavior of the Korean crowd for throwing glass bottles at the Iranian Team Melli players after Iran beat South Korea in Korea to grab a direct birth alongside Korea for 2014 world cup in Brazil.

Under the watchful eye of FIFA observers, when the world Cup qualifier between S Korea and Iran ended 0-1 for Iran, Korean fans were throwing glass and plastic water bottles at Iranian national team players.

Also, It has been observed that S Korean coaching staff threw a couple of punches at Iranian reserve keeper Sosha Makani, when he was celebrating Iran’s win.

Therefore to protest the dangerous behavior by Korean crowd at Ulsan stadium, Iran’s football federation IFF has complained in writing to FIFA.

In this letter, IFF has provided documented evidence in support of their claim. Below you can find a video of this incident.



http://www.persianfootball.com/news/201 ... ifa-video/

[Messinterista]

[Bagg10]

Alireza Jahanbakhsh, 20 year old Iranian international. He scored a brace and and assisted one for NEC in Holland.

[Bagg10]

http://www.persianfootball.com/news/201 ... ed-photos/

[Bagg10]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=700974889965746