Australia struggle in Indonesia draw as Son lifts South Korea

Australia failed to score for the second successive match, China slumped to another defeat but Son Heung-min scored a stunning goal as South Korea got off the mark in Asian World Cup qualifying on Tuesday.
Graham Arnold’s Socceroos, having been shocked at home 1-0 by Bahrain last week, dominated a Group C encounter with Indonesia but were held 0-0 in front of almost 80,000 fans at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.
Australia carved out a succession of chances but lacked any cutting edge, coming closest when Bayern Munich teenager Nestory Irankunda thundered a shot against the post. “It was our game all along,” Irankunda said. “We should have won it. We should have put them away in the first half.”
Next month, Arnold’s men face China at home in Group C and then a tough trip to in-form Japan.
“There’s eight games to go,” said Arnold. “It’s not like it’s a disaster, but I’ve got to go home and do a lot of thinking.”
Saudi Arabia had to play the last 71 minutes of their Group C match against China in Dalian with 10 men, but Roberto Mancini’s side found a way to come back from a goal behind to win 2-1 in the dying seconds.
Hassan Kadish equalised with a header from a corner before half-time and repeated the feat in the last minute of the 90 to spark wild celebrations from the visitors.
China, who were thumped 7-0 in Japan last week in their opening Group C encounter, had taken the lead in the 14th minute via an Ali Lajami own goal.
South Korea’s English Premier League strike force of Hwang Hee-chan and Son Heung-min both scored as they beat Oman 3-1 in Muscat. Wolverhampton’s Hwang opened the scoring after 19 minutes before Jung Seungh-hyun’s own goal equalised on the stroke of half-time. Tottenham’s Son got South Korea’s second, turning outside the box and firing home an unstoppable left-foot finish on 82 minutes. Joo Min-kyu put the result beyond doubt in the 11th minute of added time after being played in by Son.
It was South Korea’s first win in the final Asian qualifying phase after they were held goalless at home by Palestine last week.
The Palestinians could not repeat their heroic performance in Seoul, however, and were beaten 3-1 by Jordan in a match played in Kuala Lumpur because of the war in Gaza.
In another Group A match Uzbekistan beat Kyrgyzstan 3-2 in Bishkek. The top two from each of the three six-team Asian groups will be guaranteed a place at the expanded 48-team World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The third qualifying round wraps up in June.
Iran earned a hard-fought 1-0 win against United Arab of Emirates in their Group A tie. Mehdi Ghayedi was the hero for Team Melli, his goal late in the first half keeping Iran on maximum points after two matches. Chances were few and far in between in the opening 25 minutes with neither Khalid Eisa in UAE’s goal nor Alireza Beiranvand for Iran being tested.
Iran had the ball in the net just after the half hour mark when Mehdi Taremi’s scuffed shot fell kindly for Mehdi Ghayedi to steer home but it was ruled out for offside.
Just when it looked like the match would go into half-time on level terms, Ghayedi stepped up to give Iran the lead in the third minute of added time, winning the ball off Khaled Aldhanhani inside the opposition box before slamming a near post shot past Eisa.
Three minutes into the second half, Iran threatened to double their lead when a Ghayedi corner kick found Jahanbakhsh whose flicked header needed Eisa’s intervention.
Iran went close again in the 68th minute when Saleh Hardani delivered a cross from the right with Taremi winning the header despite being challenged by two UAE defenders, only to see the ball go agonisingly wide. A quick Iran counter attack 10 minutes later saw Sardar Azmoun laying the ball for Taremi to strike but the Inter Milan man – with only Eisa to beat – misjudged the flight of the ball.
UAE thought they had a late opportunity to level proceedings from the spot after referee Kim Jong-hyeok pointed to the spot for a handball by Hardani but upon VAR review, it was overturned and with that, ended the Emiratis’ hopes of a comeback.
In RIffa, Ayase Ueda and Hidemasa Morita both scored twice as Japan cruised to a second successive win with Hajime Moriyasu’s side handing Bahrain a 5-0 defeat,
Ueda put the Japanese ahead from the penalty spot in the 37th minute before doubling the advantage two minutes into the second half while two further goals in three minutes from Morita ensured the points were safe for the Samurai Blue.
Japan have scored 12 times in their first two games having won 7-0 against China PR in their opening match on Thursday and sit on top of Group C, two points clear of second-placed Saudi Arabia. Bahrain remain on three points after their opening win over Australia on the Gold Coast last week.