China stuns Kuwait 2-0 in opener
Source: Agencies |
January 9, 2011, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
SECOND-HALF goals from defender Zhang Linpeng and midfielder Deng Zhuoxiang gave China the perfect start to its Asian Cup campaign as it beat highly-rated Kuwait 2-0 at the Al Gharafa Stadium in Doha, Qatar, yesterday.
Kuwait, which won both the West Asian Championship and the Gulf Cup last year, started as the stronger side, but the dismissal of defender Mesad Nada after 36 minutes left it exposed at the back.
He was shown an immediate red card by Australian referee Ben Williams after sticking a foot into the groin of China striker Yang Xu as both fell to the ground by the touchline.
Xu was carried off on the electronic cart, while Nada, after writhing on the ground for a while, walked off disconsolately holding his head in his hands.
The Kuwaitis were unlucky not to have taken the lead after 49 minutes when the ball appeared to cross the line from Bader al Mutwa's effort before being gathered safely by China goalkeeper Yang Zhi.
The result meant that China joined Uzbekistan at the top of Group A after the Central Asians beat hosts Qatar by the same score in Friday's opening match.
China has never won this competition. It was runners-up in 1984 and 2004.
Coach Gao Hongbo though has seen his side steadily improve to win the East Asian title last year and this result will give it the belief it can make into the final stages.
Its opening goal came after it weathered a period of Kuwait pressure before going on to attack itself. The ball fell to Zhang Linpeng whose sweetly struck shot with the outside of his left boot from the edge of the box took a deflection off a defender leaving Yaqoub al Taher stranded in goal.
Deng Zhuoxiang doubled the lead with a well-struck inswigning free-kick nine minutes later, giving China all three points.
On Friday, Uzbekistan scored twice in the second half to beat Qatar 2-0 in the first match of the Asian Cup, dealing a setback to the hosts who had hoped a win on the pitch would compliment their glitzy opening ceremony.
Midfielder Odil Akhmedov gave the Uzbeks the lead in the 58th minute with a booming shot from 30 yards. The Uzbeks, ranked 109th in the FIFA world rankings, struck again in the 76th when an errant pass was intercepted by midfielder Server Djeparov, who scored from just outside the area.
The hosts, the second-lowest ranked side in the 16-team tournament above India, had their chances.
Midfielder Fabio Cesar's free-kick hit the post just before halftime and then striker Hussain Yaser shot was cleared by Uzbek defender Sakhob Juraev.
"I'm very happy because it was difficult match," Uzbekistan coach Vadim Abramov said. "At the same time, I'm sorry for the Qatari people. They had this big celebration and then to lose. But this is the game."
Uzbekistan came into the match as the favorite, with striker Alexander Geynrikh and midfielder Jasur Khasanov constantly pressing the Qatari defense. However, it lacked clinical finishing early on.
Kuwait, which won both the West Asian Championship and the Gulf Cup last year, started as the stronger side, but the dismissal of defender Mesad Nada after 36 minutes left it exposed at the back.
He was shown an immediate red card by Australian referee Ben Williams after sticking a foot into the groin of China striker Yang Xu as both fell to the ground by the touchline.
Xu was carried off on the electronic cart, while Nada, after writhing on the ground for a while, walked off disconsolately holding his head in his hands.
The Kuwaitis were unlucky not to have taken the lead after 49 minutes when the ball appeared to cross the line from Bader al Mutwa's effort before being gathered safely by China goalkeeper Yang Zhi.
The result meant that China joined Uzbekistan at the top of Group A after the Central Asians beat hosts Qatar by the same score in Friday's opening match.
China has never won this competition. It was runners-up in 1984 and 2004.
Coach Gao Hongbo though has seen his side steadily improve to win the East Asian title last year and this result will give it the belief it can make into the final stages.
Its opening goal came after it weathered a period of Kuwait pressure before going on to attack itself. The ball fell to Zhang Linpeng whose sweetly struck shot with the outside of his left boot from the edge of the box took a deflection off a defender leaving Yaqoub al Taher stranded in goal.
Deng Zhuoxiang doubled the lead with a well-struck inswigning free-kick nine minutes later, giving China all three points.
On Friday, Uzbekistan scored twice in the second half to beat Qatar 2-0 in the first match of the Asian Cup, dealing a setback to the hosts who had hoped a win on the pitch would compliment their glitzy opening ceremony.
Midfielder Odil Akhmedov gave the Uzbeks the lead in the 58th minute with a booming shot from 30 yards. The Uzbeks, ranked 109th in the FIFA world rankings, struck again in the 76th when an errant pass was intercepted by midfielder Server Djeparov, who scored from just outside the area.
The hosts, the second-lowest ranked side in the 16-team tournament above India, had their chances.
Midfielder Fabio Cesar's free-kick hit the post just before halftime and then striker Hussain Yaser shot was cleared by Uzbek defender Sakhob Juraev.
"I'm very happy because it was difficult match," Uzbekistan coach Vadim Abramov said. "At the same time, I'm sorry for the Qatari people. They had this big celebration and then to lose. But this is the game."
Uzbekistan came into the match as the favorite, with striker Alexander Geynrikh and midfielder Jasur Khasanov constantly pressing the Qatari defense. However, it lacked clinical finishing early on.
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