I’ve been looking forward to this round for a while – the first round of qualifying in Asia saw bucket-loads of goals, and the twelve teams that qualified all looked pretty good at times. The draw for Round 2 kept sides from the same Round 1 group apart, and so we end up with this draw:
The top two teams in each group automatically qualify for the Draft World Cup finals, whilst the third-placed team from each group will face a play-off against each other to see who gets into the Intercontinental play-off.
We’re following Group A today, and it contains top seeds China, who have to be considered favourites here, given the star names in their squad. For example, I don’t even think that Carlos Tevez managed a game in Round 1. Iran and Kuwait both won their Round 1 groups well, and so could be China’s closest challengers. Australia, India and Indonesia strike me as being like China-lite teams, with a sprinkling of stars from the past in their squads, such as Tim Cahill, Robbie Keane and Michael Essien, respectively.
With all the teams doing well in Round 1, the first matches of this group will be crucial in telling us who is likely to challenge for qualification from this group. And China start brilliantly, blowing Iran away 6-1, with a late hat-trick for substitute Eran Zahavi. Australia also start well, recovering from conceding early-on to beat India 4-1. Elsewhere, Kuwait claimed a hard-fought 1-0 victory away to Indonesia.
Indonesia bounced back to get their first win by beating Iran 2-1, thanks to stunning late goals from Mohamed Sissoko and Paulo Sergio. China continued as they started with a simple 3-1 win away to India, whilst Australia hung on for a goalless draw away to Kuwait.
We’re following Group A today, and it contains top seeds China, who have to be considered favourites here, given the star names in their squad. For example, I don’t even think that Carlos Tevez managed a game in Round 1. Iran and Kuwait both won their Round 1 groups well, and so could be China’s closest challengers. Australia, India and Indonesia strike me as being like China-lite teams, with a sprinkling of stars from the past in their squads, such as Tim Cahill, Robbie Keane and Michael Essien, respectively.
With all the teams doing well in Round 1, the first matches of this group will be crucial in telling us who is likely to challenge for qualification from this group. And China start brilliantly, blowing Iran away 6-1, with a late hat-trick for substitute Eran Zahavi. Australia also start well, recovering from conceding early-on to beat India 4-1. Elsewhere, Kuwait claimed a hard-fought 1-0 victory away to Indonesia.
Indonesia bounced back to get their first win by beating Iran 2-1, thanks to stunning late goals from Mohamed Sissoko and Paulo Sergio. China continued as they started with a simple 3-1 win away to India, whilst Australia hung on for a goalless draw away to Kuwait.
Iran looked to have secured their first point as they were level 2-2 with Kuwait going into injury time, after twice coming from behind. But when Kuwait were awarded a penalty, it looked like those hopes were to be dashed. The spot kick was hit down the middle by Yousef Nasser, but Manu stood tall to parry it away! However, this topsy-turvy match was to have one final twist, as Medo latched onto a loose ball in the box a minute later to score Kuwait’s winner. Keane’s penalty earned India a 2-1 win over Indonesia to leave Iran as the only side without a point, whilst China won 2-0 against Australia.
At this stage, Kuwait appeared to be China’s closest challengers, and so when the sides met it presented China with their biggest hurdle yet to what could be a perfect run in the group. Rashid Sumaila put Kuwait ahead early on, but China came back to triumph 3-1. New Zealand international Shane Smeltz will have particularly enjoyed scoring the winner as Indonesia beat Australia 1-0, whilst Iran continued to struggle as they lost 4-1 to India.
At this stage, Kuwait appeared to be China’s closest challengers, and so when the sides met it presented China with their biggest hurdle yet to what could be a perfect run in the group. Rashid Sumaila put Kuwait ahead early on, but China came back to triumph 3-1. New Zealand international Shane Smeltz will have particularly enjoyed scoring the winner as Indonesia beat Australia 1-0, whilst Iran continued to struggle as they lost 4-1 to India.
China started well against Indonesia, leading 2-0 after 25 minutes. But Indonesia pulled one back just before half time, and levelled in the second half through Peter Odemwingie. In added time Oscar was adjudged to have been fouled in the box, and Zahavi had the chance to win China’s fifth match in a row. But his shot was saved, and incredibly a couple of minutes later a sloppy pass from Zahavi resulted in a fast Indonesian breakaway ending with Odemwingie sticking it away for his second goal, and the match-winner. China’s perfect start had ended, and it wasn’t the only run to end as Iran finally got their first point with a 2-2 draw at home to Australia. Meanwhile, India had fought back to level away to Kuwait, before the hosts lost Al-Ansari to a second yellow on the stroke of half time. This should have helped India push for victory, but instead Bader Al-Motawa’s penalty in added time won the match for Kuwait.
Here is how the table looks with five games down, five to go:
Here is how the table looks with five games down, five to go:
As expected, it’s been highly competitive, and it looks like we might have a tight battle for the qualification spots.
It’s fair to say the next round of matches were surprising – to say the least. Let’s start in India, where Australia were visiting. Diego Castro’s 10th-minute penalty got the visitors off to a good start, but it wasn’t until the 69th minute when things went weird. India had Cichero sent off a foul in the box, and in the aftermath Goncalves was also sent off for dissent. Castro stepped up again, but his shot was parried by Jussi Jaaskelainen. Just four minutes later India went down to eight men after Serano picked up a second booking. This should have been curtains for India, but unbelievably they equalised in the 78th minute after Dimitar Berbatov ran through the defence to tee up Edu Bedia. Penalties were also key in Iran’s match with China – both teams had one, but only Iran scored their’s as they claimed a shock 1-0 win. This meant that Kuwait could move top of the table, and they took that chance thrillingly as they hammered Indonesia 7-0, with a hat-trick for Fahad Al-Enezi.
Kuwait had suddenly caught fire, and they obliterated Australia 10-1 away from home, with hat-tricks for Al-Enezi, Al-Motawa and Amine Chermiti. China got their first win in three by beating India 3-1, whilst Iran were arguably the better side in their 0-0 draw away to Indonesia.
Kuwait and China continued to assert their dominance over the rest of the group with 4-1 wins, over Australia and Iran respectively – with Al-Motawa picking up another hat-trick. With the top sides pulling away, the battle for 3rd became the real fighting ground of the group, and India hosted Indonesia in a key clash. India set the tone of the match with a goal inside the first 25 seconds, as the lead changed hands several times. The score was 3-3 heading into the final moments when Odemwingie’s pass put Steven Paulle through on goal, and the centre-back showed good composure to score the winner.
It’s fair to say the next round of matches were surprising – to say the least. Let’s start in India, where Australia were visiting. Diego Castro’s 10th-minute penalty got the visitors off to a good start, but it wasn’t until the 69th minute when things went weird. India had Cichero sent off a foul in the box, and in the aftermath Goncalves was also sent off for dissent. Castro stepped up again, but his shot was parried by Jussi Jaaskelainen. Just four minutes later India went down to eight men after Serano picked up a second booking. This should have been curtains for India, but unbelievably they equalised in the 78th minute after Dimitar Berbatov ran through the defence to tee up Edu Bedia. Penalties were also key in Iran’s match with China – both teams had one, but only Iran scored their’s as they claimed a shock 1-0 win. This meant that Kuwait could move top of the table, and they took that chance thrillingly as they hammered Indonesia 7-0, with a hat-trick for Fahad Al-Enezi.
Kuwait had suddenly caught fire, and they obliterated Australia 10-1 away from home, with hat-tricks for Al-Enezi, Al-Motawa and Amine Chermiti. China got their first win in three by beating India 3-1, whilst Iran were arguably the better side in their 0-0 draw away to Indonesia.
Kuwait and China continued to assert their dominance over the rest of the group with 4-1 wins, over Australia and Iran respectively – with Al-Motawa picking up another hat-trick. With the top sides pulling away, the battle for 3rd became the real fighting ground of the group, and India hosted Indonesia in a key clash. India set the tone of the match with a goal inside the first 25 seconds, as the lead changed hands several times. The score was 3-3 heading into the final moments when Odemwingie’s pass put Steven Paulle through on goal, and the centre-back showed good composure to score the winner.
This left Indonesia just needing a point to secure a top-three spot and eliminate India (Australia and Iran are already out of it). Australia put up a good fight as they visited Indonesia, but Odemwingie’s low drive proved the winner, 2-1 the final score. India wouldn’t have capitalised anyway, as they lost 2-0 away to Iran, a brace for Mehdi Taremi. China hosted Kuwait needing a win to usurp their opponents in the table, and late goals from Hulk and Zahavi earned them a 3-1 win. This result confirms that China are the first Asian side to qualify for the 2018 DWC!
Here’s the table with one game to go:
Here’s the table with one game to go:
Given that Indonesia need a 22-goal shift to overtake Kuwait, we can also assume that Kuwait have sealed their qualification. It also means that, sadly, there’s little to play for in the final round of games with just the relatively meaningless title of group winners at stake. So I won’t go into the games in detail.
Australia vs. Iran
Iran have been decent since the halfway point, but that slow start has cost them any chance of qualifying. Their win over India has moved them above Australia, who have failed to build on their opening win against India.
Australia start well here, early goals seeing them 2-0 up at the break. Mehdi Sharifi’s volley after the break put Iran back in it, before two goals just after the hour mark saw them go 3-2 ahead. That ended up being the final score, and what a fitting way to end the campaign for both sides, with this match being a clear microcosm of both sides’ performances in the group.
Australia vs. Iran
Iran have been decent since the halfway point, but that slow start has cost them any chance of qualifying. Their win over India has moved them above Australia, who have failed to build on their opening win against India.
Australia start well here, early goals seeing them 2-0 up at the break. Mehdi Sharifi’s volley after the break put Iran back in it, before two goals just after the hour mark saw them go 3-2 ahead. That ended up being the final score, and what a fitting way to end the campaign for both sides, with this match being a clear microcosm of both sides’ performances in the group.
India vs. Kuwait
India have had the odd good result, but they have been too easy to score against, and their hopes fell away rather limply last time out. Kuwait, meanwhile, have followed up their excellent Round 1 performance with an even better showing this time out. With no big names in their squad compared to the other sides, and with no showing in 2017, Kuwait have been quite the surprise package.
Amine Chermiti, who is set to join his home nation of Tunisia in the finals, opened the scoring after half time with a close-range volley. Any hopes of India coming back were diminished by Calderon’s red card, and Kuwait added three more goals, with Chermiti completing his hat-trick, to win 4-0.
India have had the odd good result, but they have been too easy to score against, and their hopes fell away rather limply last time out. Kuwait, meanwhile, have followed up their excellent Round 1 performance with an even better showing this time out. With no big names in their squad compared to the other sides, and with no showing in 2017, Kuwait have been quite the surprise package.
Amine Chermiti, who is set to join his home nation of Tunisia in the finals, opened the scoring after half time with a close-range volley. Any hopes of India coming back were diminished by Calderon’s red card, and Kuwait added three more goals, with Chermiti completing his hat-trick, to win 4-0.
China vs. Indonesia
After Kuwait’s win, China need a victory to secure top spot, whilst Indonesia know they can only finish in third. China were expected to cruise to qualification, given their quarter-final appearance in 2017, and they have largely matched expectations. Indonesia have added some star names to the side which struggled last year, and they have been rewarded with getting into the play-offs.
The two sides traded early goals through Cassio and Elkeson. Despite China generally being the better side, Indonesia took control of the game with two goals just after half time, although Elkeson added another to keep China in it. Essien’s penalty in the 78th minute restored Indonesia’s two-goal lead and looked to have sealed a double over China. However, Ezequiel Lavezzi volleyed home in the 90th minute and four minutes later he set up Elkeson to complete his hat-trick. But the 4-4 draw wasn’t enough for China to keep their grip on the top of the group, as they had to settle for second place.
After Kuwait’s win, China need a victory to secure top spot, whilst Indonesia know they can only finish in third. China were expected to cruise to qualification, given their quarter-final appearance in 2017, and they have largely matched expectations. Indonesia have added some star names to the side which struggled last year, and they have been rewarded with getting into the play-offs.
The two sides traded early goals through Cassio and Elkeson. Despite China generally being the better side, Indonesia took control of the game with two goals just after half time, although Elkeson added another to keep China in it. Essien’s penalty in the 78th minute restored Indonesia’s two-goal lead and looked to have sealed a double over China. However, Ezequiel Lavezzi volleyed home in the 90th minute and four minutes later he set up Elkeson to complete his hat-trick. But the 4-4 draw wasn’t enough for China to keep their grip on the top of the group, as they had to settle for second place.
Final standings
Top scorers: Bader Al-Motawa, Fahad Al-Enezi, Amine Chermiti (KUW) 9 goals
Highest average ratings: Fahad Al-Enezi (KUW) 8.38; Chermiti (KUW) 7.96; Al-Motawa 7.83
Next time
Those three forwards for Kuwait are one hell of a unit, I’m looking forward to seeing what they’ll do in the DWC finals, whilst China will remain a serious contender – even if their are significantly top-heavy in quality. Next time we go back to Africa, and it’s a very tasty group as Morocco, Ghana and Zambia can all harbour realistic hopes of qualifying, whilst Reunion have been impressive so far.
Highest average ratings: Fahad Al-Enezi (KUW) 8.38; Chermiti (KUW) 7.96; Al-Motawa 7.83
Next time
Those three forwards for Kuwait are one hell of a unit, I’m looking forward to seeing what they’ll do in the DWC finals, whilst China will remain a serious contender – even if their are significantly top-heavy in quality. Next time we go back to Africa, and it’s a very tasty group as Morocco, Ghana and Zambia can all harbour realistic hopes of qualifying, whilst Reunion have been impressive so far.