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Tired Asian teams brace for tedious travel for qualifiers
Source: Agencies |
September 6, 2011, Tuesday
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TEAM doctors will be as important as the players in today's World Cup qualifiers in Asia, as squads deal not only with injuries but long-haul flights.
As well as injuries, suspensions and tactics, some mammoth journeys will be a major factor on matchday two of the third round of qualification for the 2014 World Cup.
With all 20 nations playing one game at home and one away in the space of four days all over the continent, fatigue looms as a major issue.
Australia has the most arduous journey, flying 12,900 kilometers from Brisbane to Dammam in the east of Saudi Arabia for a clash of two teams expecting to progress from Group D.
A recurring theme of the ten games last Friday was how top-ranked teams struggled to defeat weaker nations as home. The Socceroos had to come from behind to beat Thailand 2-1 in Brisbane thanks to a late goal from Alex Brosque.
The match in Saudi Arabia will be much tougher and not just because of the travel. The host is now coached by Frank Rijkaard, formerly boss of Barcelona and Netherlands. The Dutchman led his team to a goalless draw in nearby Oman in the opening game.
Thailand will be aiming to build on its impressive though fruitless performance in Australia, and get a win at home against Oman.
Like Australia, China also recovered from conceding an early goal to come back and defeat Singapore 2-1.
Underachievement
It was a result that did little to build hopes that China can overcome its long record of underachievement in World Cup qualifying, and already put pressure on new coach Jose Antonio Camacho.
The former Spain boss takes the team to Amman to face Jordan, one of Asia's most improved teams.
Jordan picked up an impressive 2-0 win at the home of 2007 Asian Cup winner Iraq to ensure that Zico's first game in charge ended in defeat. The fact that Jordan is coached by Adnan Hamad, an Iraqi and former coach of the Iraq national team, added to the pain.
Of the top-ranked teams, only South Korea was totally convincing, defeating Lebanon 6-0.
In Group C, Japan squeezed past North Korea only because of a goal deep in stoppage time from Maya Yoshida. Next the Asian champion travels to Tashkent to take on Uzbekistan, which also won 1-0, in Tajikistan.
As well as injuries, suspensions and tactics, some mammoth journeys will be a major factor on matchday two of the third round of qualification for the 2014 World Cup.
With all 20 nations playing one game at home and one away in the space of four days all over the continent, fatigue looms as a major issue.
Australia has the most arduous journey, flying 12,900 kilometers from Brisbane to Dammam in the east of Saudi Arabia for a clash of two teams expecting to progress from Group D.
A recurring theme of the ten games last Friday was how top-ranked teams struggled to defeat weaker nations as home. The Socceroos had to come from behind to beat Thailand 2-1 in Brisbane thanks to a late goal from Alex Brosque.
The match in Saudi Arabia will be much tougher and not just because of the travel. The host is now coached by Frank Rijkaard, formerly boss of Barcelona and Netherlands. The Dutchman led his team to a goalless draw in nearby Oman in the opening game.
Thailand will be aiming to build on its impressive though fruitless performance in Australia, and get a win at home against Oman.
Like Australia, China also recovered from conceding an early goal to come back and defeat Singapore 2-1.
Underachievement
It was a result that did little to build hopes that China can overcome its long record of underachievement in World Cup qualifying, and already put pressure on new coach Jose Antonio Camacho.
The former Spain boss takes the team to Amman to face Jordan, one of Asia's most improved teams.
Jordan picked up an impressive 2-0 win at the home of 2007 Asian Cup winner Iraq to ensure that Zico's first game in charge ended in defeat. The fact that Jordan is coached by Adnan Hamad, an Iraqi and former coach of the Iraq national team, added to the pain.
Of the top-ranked teams, only South Korea was totally convincing, defeating Lebanon 6-0.
In Group C, Japan squeezed past North Korea only because of a goal deep in stoppage time from Maya Yoshida. Next the Asian champion travels to Tashkent to take on Uzbekistan, which also won 1-0, in Tajikistan.
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