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Football Asia. comChina reach Futsal quarter-finalsApr 21, 2004 - FootballAsiaMACAU - China were among four teams to qualify for the quarter-finals of the World Futsal Championship Asian Qualifiers 2004 following a 27-1 thumping of minnows Guam on Tuesday.
The emphatic win put the Chinese in the last eight at the AFC Futsal Championship for the first time along with defending champions Iran, 2003 runners-up Japan and Uzbekistan, all of whom confirmed their quarter-final places with victories on Tuesday.
Having drawn 2-2 with group favourites Thailand in an earlier match, the Chinese went all out in search of goals against Guam in order to finish ahead of the Thais on goal difference and avoid a possible quarter-final meeting with Japan.
They got the result they were looking for as Zhang Xiao netted nine goals for the Chinese to raise his tournament tally to 10, second only to Vahid Shamsee's 22 goals for Iran.
The massive win leaves the Thais needing to beat Malaysia by at least 10 goals on Wednesday to finish on top of Group D.
The big match of the day took place in Group B between front-runners Kuwait and Korea Republic. Both teams may have confirmed their spots in the quarter-finals after earlier victories over Chinese Taipei and Maldives, but there was much on the line with the winners avoiding a likely quarter-final clash with defending five-time champions Iran.
Kuwait started the match strongly, going up 2-0 in the first half through goals by Fawzi Al Mass and Ahmad Humoud, before Ahmad Al Asfour extended the Kuwaiti advantage with their third goal two minutes after break.
The Koreans looked to be in further trouble when their top scorer Kim Man Joong was dismissed after receiving two yellow cards but Lee Sang Keun and Lee Do Seung breathed some life into their team with goals midway through the half to cut the deficit to one goal.
Accumulated fouls ultimately proved costly for the Kuwaitis as the Koreans were awarded a 10-metre penalty with two minutes to play and Lee Jong Muk converted to tie up the score. Choi Min Kwang then put the Koreans into the lead and Lee Jong Muk converted another 10-metre penalty in the final minute to seal a 5-3 win.
In Group A, both favourites won easily as Uzbekistan beat Hong Kong 5-0 while Iran trashed Cambodia 24-1 with Vahid Shamsee netting 10 goals.
In Group C, Japan easily secured their passage into the last eight with a 12-0 win over Philippines. Japanese rested key players Kiyoshi Sagane and Suzumura Takuya, but still proved too strong for the Filipinos with goals by seven players including substitute goalkeeper Teruo Endo.
World Futsal Championship Asian Qualifiers 2004
Results
Group A
Iran 24 Cambodia 1
Uzbekistan 5 Cambodia 0
Group B
Korea Republic 5 Kuwait 3
Group C
Japan 12 Philippines 0
Group D
China 27 Guam 1
