the match facts and reports:
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World Cup 2002
- Asian qualifiers
Group
A
Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Thailand,
Bahrain
10 weeks of qualifiers played
on 10 consecutive weekends
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THE SHOT LIVE for coverages on weekends
week1
Saudi Arabia - Bahrain 1:1
a disciplined and fighting guest team confirmed their
surprise success against Kuwait in the qualifying round by almost upsetting
the Saudi Arabians, one of the strong favorites who had been qualified
for the last two World Cups.
It took until the 85th minute until a Saudi diagonal
pass to the right hand side beat the offside trap, the right wing attacker
only had to center the ball to another player who had been in passive offside
before and who scored easily. Only two minutes later Bahrain blew a major
opportunity to strike back when from a fine counter attack a player, unchallenged,
fired across the bar from half right.
The Saudis, a team known for their gap between the brilliance
in midfield and the effectivity inside the penalty areas (defending and
attacking), and probably confused by the inconsistency in team building
(continous coaching switches) had a late opportunity denied by the Bahrain
keeper. Again the offside trap had failed.
Iraq - Thailand 4:0
week2
Iran - Saudi Arabia 2:0
The esssence of this match was less about good football
than about refereeing. Both teams played careful and only two Ali Daei
opportunities was all a disappointing Iran had until the 55th minute.
Then it seemed a terrible penalty decision decided tha
game as it looked like the Saudi keeper clearly played the ball against
a broken through Iranian attacker. Ali Daei converted the kick and only
2 minutes later a harsh second yellow card against #19 reduced the Saudi
team to 10 men. After 65 minutes Ali Daei benefited from beign not tightly
marked and scored by a low diagonal shot from inside the penalty area.
Both teams showed only few inspired combinations in this
match.
Bahrain - Iraq 2:0
For a long time Bahrain dominated the match but only
hit the goalpost and blew some big opportunities.
Until the 58th minute. Then a free kick from good position
bounced back from the wall and was squared by #8 to the half left. #13
Jusuf fired directly and it became a brilliantly curved ball into the triangle
which left the keeper without a chance. After the goal Bahrain lost the
grip but decided the match anyway in the 81st by an opportunistic 12 meter
shot by #6 Majed.
While Iraq were too harmless, Bahrain again left the
impression to have received the injection of some German school aspects
of the game by their coach Wolfgang Sidka. This makes them a real threat
in this group , at least for the play off spot. Iran remain favorites yet...
week3
Thailand - Iran 0:0
It promised to be a good idea to work with high balls
from everywhere on the huge Ali Daei against the physically inferior Thai.
But the first half game of Iran was dull and became a stereotype in applying
the receipe. The quick Thai players even came close to scoring.
Some adjustments at halftime, a couple of substitutions,
and Iran came out more variable and with more pace. More opportunities
were the logical consequence. But the Thai had had boosted their confidence
in the first half and could have taken the lead after 55 minutes through
a stunning solorun of their #10. The eventual shot was saved by the
Iranian goalkeeper.
In the course of the match the Iranian game became uninspired
again and Thailand had more opportunities after 71 and 76 minutes. Half
chances on both sides followed.
Several times Iranian players look like they did not
take their counterparts seriously. One of those situations led to the biggest
opportunity for Thailand in the 87th minute when a side pass missed an
unmarked player in front of the empty goal.
Both had one more opportunity.
Lucky Iran have made 4 points now in two disappointing
matches, a good base to build a better game.
Saudi Arabia - Iraq 1:0 (at Bahrain)
Saudi Arabia won the crucial first match against Iraq
by a Obeid Al Dossary goal. The matches are both to be played at a neutral
venue because of fears after the gulf war 10 years ago. Before the match
Saudi Arabia had dismissed another coach in Yugolslav Santrac.
week4
Iran - Iraq 1:2
Ali Daei scored from 20 meters 6 minutes from time to
give Iran 3 valuable points and make them hot favorites to qualify directly
from this group. Iraq had taken the lead in first half before Ali Karimi
had equalised only a few minutes later.
Bahrain - Thailand 1:1
A totally disappointing match by dark horses Bahrain.
The hosts took a first half lead ('17, Al Dossari) by a dangerous free
kick cross which curled untouched into the corner. From then on it was
all Thailand whose quick attackers cut through the chaotic defence of Bahrain
easily. But poor finishing of the Thais, who had not scored a goal before
this match, rescued the hosts. Eventually the equaliser came anyway ('64
Sonamuany/'Zico') and woke up the favorites. From then on it was a more
balanced match.
week5
Thailand - Saudi-Arabia 1:3
Thailand were leading 1:0 at half but Saudi Arabia came
out of the intermission much more determined. Although squandering a lot
of good situations by bad coordination and passing, the individual superiority
of the Arabian attackers against the Thai defenders made it look easy how
Saudi Arabia eventually managed to turn around the game. #9 Al Jaber scored
a goal and set up the third one brilliantly.
Iran - Bahrain 0:0
week6
Bahrain - Saudi-Arabia 0:4
Saudi Arabia continued how they had played the
second half of the Thailand match: much sharper than in the matches before
and much more according to their talent. The consequence was a more than
clear demonstration of the gap between those two, a gap that Bahrain had
overcome with good teamwork and commitment in the matches played so far.
But confronted with a similarly determined Saudi side the World Cup dream
of Bahrain seems to have started to burst.
An opportunistic header by #11 Dossari beat a hesitating
defence after a rather harmless looking long cross with 25 minutes played.
Against a shocked Bahrain side Saudi Arabia quickly scored a second goal
by a fine combination only 2 minutes later. A stunning free kick
from 30 meters by #17 Al Shamrani? decided the match 5 minutes before halftime.
Thailand - Iraq 1:1
It might have been the last chance for both and if this
is true the match will have had two losers.
Iraq dominated the first half, but it was Thailand
who scored by a header against a defence which looked a bit lethargic in
that situation. But apart from a few situations Iraq managed well to contain
the quick direct attacks the Thai used to run successfully in some of their
matches before.
The pressure of the Iraqi eventually materialised in
the second half through the equaliser. Only 2 minutes later a hand penalty
for Iraq was brilliantly saved by the keeper of the hosts.
A bit strange was a lot of time wasting towards the end
especially by Thailand.
Iraq left a stronger impression than Iran in their match
at Thaialnd but lost 2 valuable points though.
|
M |
G |
P |
| Saudi Arabia |
5 |
9-4 |
10 |
| Iran |
4 |
4-1 |
8 |
| Bahrain |
5 |
4-6 |
6 |
| Iraq |
5 |
6-6 |
4 |
| Thailand |
5 |
3-9 |
3 |
group winner qualifies for World Cup 2002
week7
Saudi Arabia - Iran 2:2
After Ali Daei had equalized the Saudi lead (reports:
Abdallah Waked '20) short before halftime, Saudi Arabia played out several
opportunity and scored a fine goal after 59 minutes (Hassan Yami). Saudi
Arbia had more opportunities to decide the match but a huge defensive error
gifted the Iranians, who looked a little passive in some situations, with
the equalizer 6 minutes to the end (Sirous Dinmohammadi).
Iraq - Bahrain 1:0
reports: goal by Imad Mohamed ('14)
|
M |
G |
P |
| Saudi Arabia |
6 |
11-6 |
11 |
| Iran |
5 |
6-3 |
9 |
| Iraq |
6 |
7-6 |
7 |
| Bahrain |
6 |
4-7 |
6 |
| Thailand |
5 |
3-9 |
3 |
group winner qualifies for World Cup 2002
second for additional play-offs
week8
Iraq - Saudi-Arabia 1:2
Iran - Thailand 1:0
|
M |
G |
P |
| Saudi Arabia |
7 |
13-7 |
14 |
| Iran |
6 |
7-3 |
12 |
| Iraq |
7 |
8-8 |
7 |
| Bahrain |
6 |
4-7 |
6 |
| Thailand |
6 |
3-10 |
3 |
group winner qualifies for World Cup 2002
second for additional play-offs
week9
Thailand - Bahrain stopped because of electric
failure (0:1, 20 minutes played)
replay: 1:1
Iran - Iraq 2:1
reports: Goals by Mehdi Mahdavikia ('27) and Ali Karimi
('71) secured vital three points for Iran in front of a 100,000 crowd at
Tehran. Iraq, already out of the qualification picture before the match,
had equalised early in second half (Qahtan Drain). Iran are now in the
pole position although they have not entirely convinced during the qualifiers.
Saudi Arabia, who had a miserable start, but have rallied
to a better performance since, will need a slip up by the Iranians in the
last match at Bahrain.
|
M |
G |
P |
| Iran |
7 |
9-4 |
15 |
| Saudi Arabia |
7 |
13-7 |
14 |
| Iraq |
8 |
9-10 |
7 |
| Bahrain |
7 |
5-8 |
7 |
| Thailand |
7 |
4-11 |
4 |
group winner qualifies for World Cup 2002
second for additional play-offs
week10
Bahrain - Iran 3:1
> see detailed match-report
Saudi Arabia - Thailand 4:1
-If Iran win, Saudi Arabia will end up second
-If Iran draw, Saudi Arabia need to win to take first
place
-If Iran lose, Saudi Arabia at least need a draw to
take first place (provided that goal difference is the tie breaker, which
should be)
-first half: 1:0, second half: 2:0, 2:1, 3:1 (pen.),
4:1
|
M |
G |
P |
| Saudi Arabia |
8 |
17-8 |
17 |
| Iran |
8 |
10-7 |
15 |
| Bahrain |
8 |
8-9 |
10 |
| Iraq |
8 |
9-10 |
7 |
| Thailand |
8 |
5-15 |
4 |
group winner qualifies for World Cup 2002
second for additional play-offs
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