Road to the Finals: Uzbekistan’s impressive showing

Uzbekistan became one of the first nations to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011™ Finals when they recorded their third successive Group C victory.

They joined hosts Qatar and the top three finishers in 2007, fellow qualifiers Syria, who secured their passage on the same day, and 2008 AFC Challenge Cup winners India.

India’s Challenge Cup victory meant Bob Houghton’s side were withdrawn from qualifying Group C leaving just three teams to battle it out for two places with the Uzbeks and the UAE for the tickets to Qatar ahead of ASEAN outsiders Malaysia.

Uzbekistan seized the early initiative when Farhod Tadjiyev’s 30th minute strike gave them a 1-0 win in the UAE before back-to-back 3-1 victories over the Malaysians ensured the Central Asians reached the AFC Asian Cup finals for the fourth consecutive tournament since making their debut in 1996.

A brace by Alexander Geynrikh and a strike by Server Djeparov put them 3-0 ahead at home against Malaysia before Mohamad Zaquan reduced the deficit eight minutes after the hour mark.

Anvar Gafurov opened the scoring for the Central Asians two minutes after the half hour mark in the return fixture at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur while Bakhodir Nasimov doubled the lead two minutes before the hour mark. Baddrol Bin Bakhtiar pulled one back for the hosts but Timur Kapadze made it 3-1 for the Uzbeks.

Uzbekistan’s campaign, however, was to end on a low note when the UAE extracted revenge for their earlier defeat in Sharjah, with the Gulf side’s winning goal coming in the third minute of second-half stoppage-time from Sultan Al Menhali.

Uzbekistan were placed along side hosts Qatar, Kuwait and China in the January
Source: www.the-afc.com

MTU’s home form concerns Karamah’s Kwid

Bangkok: Al Karamah coach Mohammad Kwid conceded Muangthong’s formidable home form will make them difficult to beat at Thunderdome Stadium on Tuesday but is confident his side possesses the strength to seal their passage to the semi-finals of the AFC Cup.

The 2009 runners-up claimed a 1-0 win in their quarter-final first-leg encounter in Syria last week to give them a slender advantage heading in the game.

Muangthong have made their home stadium something of a fortress in their domestic league this season and have won their last nine successive games there while conceding just one goal.

“The match will be very difficult. I regret that we did not score more in the first leg,” said Kwid.

“Muangthong are a very strong team, it will be a very different and more difficult game here in Bangkok.

“Muangthong rarely lose at home and are very organised with a good coach and great players.

“But I believe that our past experience in both the AFC Cup and the AFC Champions League will carry us through to the next round.”

Kwid singled out Muangthong midfield dynamo Datsakorn Thonglao as the main player they have to watch.


“Their whole team has quality but he is someone we will pay extra attention to as he has the ability to change the game,” he added.

“Whatever the result I am sure the players have what it takes to qualify for the next round.”

Muangthong coach René Desaeyere was reserved on his team’s chances and acknowledged the Thailand Premier League champions will have to be at their very best to defeat Al Karamah.

“To go through we will have to have a very good day,” said the Belgian tactician.

“For the first leg many of our players were not fit. Our players have a lot to prove in this leg.

“The Syrian team is very strong as they play as a unit without star players. They will run and fight for 90 minutes.

“To get something from this match we either need to play with the same mentality or play with more skill than them all over the pitch.”

On his match strategy Desaeyere remarked: “We play with the same formation in all competitions. We start with three up front but there will be some changes to our tactics.

“We need to be more attacking to get anything out of the match but we must protect ourselves against counterattacks.

“This game will not be won on the tactics board but my players on the pitch.”

Source: www.the-afc.com

Japan reach FIFA U-17 women’s semis

Arima: Japan became the third Asian team to reach the semi-finals of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup here in Trinidad and Tobago after a hardfought 2-1 victory over the Republic of Ireland in a tense and even encounter.

Japan’s Kumi Yokoyama sealed victory with her fifth goal of the finals after Ireland had drawn level. The Japanese now play DPR Korea in an all-Asian last four. Hikaru Naomoto put Japan ahead with a penalty in the 34th minute but this lead was neutralized by Denise O Sullivan in the 53rd minute.

The first attempts on goal for Japan came from Yokoyama in the 16th minute and a few seconds later, both missing the target by a whisker.

The Irish defence was broken down when Megan Campbell made light contact with Yokoyama inside the area and the Canadian referee pointed to the spot. Naomoto stepped up and pushed the ball to Maloney’s left to make it 1-0 in the 34th minute.

The scores were level when Denise O’Sullivan hit a cleared rebound into an open goal after a mistake by goalkeeper Eri Hirao but Yokoyama fired the winning goal a few minutes later after squeezing past Ciara O’Brien and striking well with her right-foot into the top corner from the edge of the box.

Ireland equalized almost immediately but Hirao pulled off a couple of saves to ensure that Japan met defending champions DPR Korea in the semi-finals in Couva on 21 September.

Source: www.the-afc.com/en/home

Texan billionaire Tom Hicks to target Liverpool buyout

Texan billionaire Hicks met Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton on Wednesday, informing him he was considering raising money to refinance the club's £237.4m debt with Royal Bank of Scotland before a deadline set for early October.

The talks were described by a senior club source as "blunt but constructive" but the prospect of Hicks remaining in control of the Premier League club will horrify many Liverpool fans desperate for a change of ownership.

Co-owner George Gillett is reported to be struggling to pay back a £75m loan secured against his 50% stake in the club in 2008 and Hicks is considering buying his partner out, although Gillett insists he is not on the brink of defaulting.

Hicks and Gillett bought the Reds in February 2007 in a deal that valued the club at £218.9m.

But the American duo have endured a difficult time at Anfield, with supporters regularly voicing their dissatisfaction at the level of debt taken on by the club after their buyout.

Broughton, who was appointed in April at the request of RBS as a condition for the bank extending its loan to the Americans for a further six months, has previously said he wants to find a new owner willing to wipe out the club's debt and build a new stadium.

Along with managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre, Broughton sits on the club's five-man board alongside Hicks and Gillett.

The three Englishmen will oppose Hicks' plan if he manages to raise the funds required.

The Americans failed to generate the necessary money in June because the proposed refinancing was with RBS and would lead to the club being saddled with more debt and interest repayments.

However, the board privately acknowledge that this time Hicks could succeed if he refinances with a different bank and are seeking legal advice on their power to block any attempt he may make.

"Technically, if he pays off RBS 100% the bank can't really refuse to receive the money so it can be removed from the scene," the source told BBC Sport.

"That would make the legal position of whether such a plan can be vetoed very complicated and difficult. It would have no support from three members of the board.

"The board's directors are obliged to do what's best for both the shareholders (Hicks and Gillett) and also the business (Kop Holdings) but these two objectives could be in conflict, so legal advice is being sought as to what's possible."

Hicks has not approached RBS yet to discuss his plan but the source admitted the prospect was "possible" and "could not be ruled out".

James McKenna, spokesman for Spirit of Shankly, the Liverpool Supporters' Union, predicts an angry response from fans to any attempt by Hicks to keep hold of the club.

"This is the latest in an on-going soap opera but we don't want either Hicks or Gillett involved in the club and these plans will be met with the fiercest of protests," he said. "These reports are a worry."

Hicks and Gillett put the debt-ridden club up for sale in April, valuing it at £600m but no-one has come close to meeting that figure.

Hong Kong businessman Kenny Huang was interested but withdrew from negotiations to buy the club at the end of August.

Hicks and Gillett face losing the club to RBS, which must decide whether to call in the loan and take control of the club, agree to another extension, or force a sale to the highest bidder.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk