Aussies limp bast Bahrain

June 10, 2009

SYDNEY (AFP) – Australia laboured to beat Bahrain 2-0 in a muted celebration of their World Cup Asian qualification here on Wednesday.

The Socceroos, fielding only four survivors from the team that booked their ticket to South Africa 2010 in Qatar at the weekend, were frustrated by the fast-breaking visitors and needed second-half goals to grind them down.

Mile Sterjovski broke the deadlock in the 55th minute after he punished a defensive error inside the six-yard box and beat goalkeeper Sayed Mohamed for his eighth top-level goal.

David Carney doubled the lead in the 88th minute after Jason Culina’s spectacular overhead kick ricocheted off an upright for Carney to ram the ball home for his second international goal.

Bahrain had the ball in the net during the second half from an Abdulla Marzooq header but the defender was ruled offside.

It would have been the first time Australia had conceded a goal in their last seven qualifying games.

Australia hold on to their lead at the top of Asia Group A and will play regional rivals Japan in Melbourne next Wednesday, with both teams already through to the World Cup finals.

The Socceroos could have had a third goal but incredibly the ball stayed out after Harry Kewell and Sterjovski had goalbound chances blocked on the line in the 75th minute.

But for the most part, before just under 40,000 fans at a half-filled Olympic stadium, the Australians played like strangers, with little rhythm and wayward passing.

The surprise omissions from the Australia team were English Premier League stars Tim Cahill and Vince Grella, with Cahill left out entirely and Grella on the bench. Grella came on in the 62nd minute.

Coach Pim Verbeek said Cahill had stiff muscles and would not be risked.

Bahrain, needing a point to lock up third spot in the group and with it a potential World Cup playoff against Oceania champions New Zealand, looked the livelier in the first half.

Skipper Mohamed Salmeen had a free header off an Abdulla Abdi corner in the 24th minute but the chance went over the bar.

Celtic striker Scott McDonald had a glorious chance to break his international goal drought in his 12th game minutes later after being put clear by Brett Holman but he blazed his volley over the bar for the hosts.

Bahrain continued to press and Mahmood Abdulrahman’s free-kick was flicked on, only for goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer to fumble the ball and regather at the second attempt on his line.

Sterjovski had a free header comfortably taken by goalkeeper Sayed Mohamed before Salman Isa blazed just over the bar nearing halftime.

Tags: abdulla, Abdulla Abdi, Abdulla Marzooq, asia group, Australia, australia team, bahrain, david carney, English Premier League, harry kewell, international goal, Japan, jason culina, league stars, mark schwarzer, Melbourne, mile sterjovski, New Zealand, offside, olympic stadium, overhead kick, Qatar, Salman Isa, scott mcdonald, South Africa, south africa 2010, stiff muscles, SYDNEY, tim cahill, time australia, vince grella, World Cup, world cup finals

Japan reign supreme in AFC Champions League

May 7, 2009

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) – Nagoya Grampus became the fourth Japanese team to make the last 16 of the AFC Champions League on Wednesday, while Newcastle Jets kept Australian hopes alive.

Yoshizumi Ogawa scored twice as Nagoya beat South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai 4-1, ensuring they secured top spot in Group E with 11 points from five games, five ahead of Ulsan and Newcastle, who eased past Beijing Guoan 2-1.

Defending champions Gamba Osaka, who kept their 100 percent record intact with a 1-0 win over China’s Shandong Luneng, have already qualified for the knockout stage, along with Kawasaki Frontale and Kashima Antlers.

Saudi Arabia’s Ettifaq and Uzbek giants Pakhtakor are also through.

Ogawa set the wheels in motion for Nagoya with a header after 14 minutes, with Yuki Maki and Davi also on target before Ogawa completed the rout 18 minutes from time.

In Australia, Newcastle Jets stayed in contention for the last 16 with two goals in the final six minutes to sink Beijing Guoan.

The Jets squeezed home with goals from striker Sasho Petrovski and substitute Sean Rooney after the Chinese Super League team had looked poised for victory following Ryan Griffiths’ strike in the 69th minute.

But Petrovski equalised in the 88th minute with Rooney netting the winner with just 30 seconds left of the four minutes stoppage time.

The win means Newcastle, who are now second in Group E behind Nagoya, can go through to the playoff stage if they earn a point in their final group match against Ulsan in South Korea on May 20.

Gamba are the form team of the tournament and a strike by Yasuhito Endo just before half-time against Shandong means they have won all five of their matches so far.

It leaves the Chinese side on seven points alongside Korea’s FC Seoul with one match to go in Group F.

In west Asia, Group A leaders Pakhtakor host bottom-placed Al Ahli of the UAE as they bid to secure top spot in their group.

The Uzbek side have already secured a place in the next round after picking up 10 points, two more than Saudi Arabia?s Al Hilal.

Hilal have one foot in the next stage, but will be eager for victory against Saba Battery in Iran as they seek to overtake Pakhtakor.

Group B remains a three-horse race despite a shake-up of the table following the withdrawal of Sharjah this week.

The UAE club, who pulled out to focus on escaping relegation in their domestic league, were on zero points and all their previous results are considered null and void.

Saudi Arabia?s Al Shabab have four points and host Al Gharafa, on three points, later Wednesday.

The top-placed team in each of the eight groups will play at home against one of the second-placed sides in the one-leg round of 16, which will be held in the west zone on May 27 and the east zone on June 24.

Tags: afc champions league, Al Ahli, Al Gharafa, Al Hilal, al shabab, asia group, Australia, australia newcastle, Beijing, beijing guoan, CAF Champions League, China, chinese side, ettifaq, F., Iran, Japan, japanese team, kashima antlers, Kawasaki, kawasaki frontale, knockout stage, Korea, kuala lumpur, nagoya grampus, NEWCASTLE, Osaka, pakhtakor, petrovski, playoff stage, Ryan Griffiths, Saba Battery, saudi arabia, sean rooney, Shandong, shandong luneng, Sharjah, south korea, stoppage time, Ulsan, ulsan hyundai, west asia, wheels in motion, yasuhito endo, Yuki Maki

Japan reign supreme in AFC Champions League

May 6, 2009