Mr Grosso
July 23rd, 2007, 05:51 PM
‘Sons of the Desert’ Silence Critics With Aplomb
Razan Baker, Arab News
JEDDAH, 23 July 2007 — True to form, Saudi Arabia delivered in the quarterfinals beating Uzbekistan 2-1 yesterday in the Asian Cup football tournament.
In front of thousands of cheering fans who flew all the way from the Kingdom the Green Falcons did not disappoint, and goals from captain Yasser “The Sniper” Al-Qahtani and Ahmed Al-Mousa gave them victory at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia.
With the win Saudi Arabia qualified for the semifinals against Japan in a match between three-time champions at the My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi, Vietnam. Iraq face South Korea at the National Stadium Bukit Jalil in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. South Korea won 4-2 in penalty shootout against Iran in the other quarterfinal match yesterday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Uzbekistan were in high spirits entering the match confident of repeating past successes against the Saudis including the 1-0 win during the 2004 tournament. But the young Saudi team did their homework and managed to turn the tables on the Uzbeks.
Saudi Arabia appeared to have sealed the victory on 72 minutes after Al-Mousa made it 2-0, but had to withstand a late Uzbekistan rally in which Pavel Solomin pulled one back and Alexander Geynrikh hit the post.
Striker Al-Qahtani blasted a close-range shot in at the far post in the second minute after Uzbek goalkeeper Ignatiy Nesterov failed to hold on to a cross from Abdulrahman Al-Qahtani.
Uzbekistan midfielder Server Djeparov hit the post with a long-range effort two minutes later and captain Maksim Shatskikh came desperately close to scoring early in the second half, but his powerful downward header bounced up to hit the underside of the bar.
Saudi Arabia, riled at home for their slow start to the tournament, gradually turned the screw on the central Asians, coming close twice before Al-Mousa fired home after picking up a threaded pass by Al-Qahtani in a crowded penalty area. Solomin scored from close range to cut the margin to one. With five minutes to go, Alexander Geynrikh turned neatly in the box but saw his shot hit the post.
Both semifinals are scheduled for Wednesday, with the championship match next Sunday at Jakarta.
World Cup star Lee Woon-jae made two crucial saves against Mehdi Mahdavikia and Rasoul Khatabi in the shootout and Kim Jung-woo slotted the clincher as South Korea won 4-2 on penalties. Their quarterfinal was scoreless after two periods of extra time.
It was the second quarterfinal match decided on penalties — defending champions Japan edged Australia 4-3 in a shootout Saturday after their match was locked 1-1 after extra time.
Lee, who helped South Korea into the 2002 World Cup semifinals via a shootout win over Spain, was at his agile best in the shootout against three-time champion Iran.
“I’m really happy we won, of course, but we have to forget that now and start preparations for the Iraq match,” said Lee, who needed treatment on his left ankle after making his second save in the shootout. “All the teams are desperate to get to Jakarta and to win the Asian Cup.” South Korea coach Pim Verbeek said the spirit of the 2002 World Cup campaign was alive in his young squad.
“I never have seen a Korean side that does not play with that spirit,” he said. “It’s one of the qualities of Korean football.
“I’m proud of the boys, obviously, but we still have (achieved) nothing here. We have to play the semifinal — we have to go for the final and the Cup.” South Korea — which finished second behind Saudi Arabia in Group D after a surprise loss to Bahrain — and Iran were meeting in a quarterfinal for the fourth consecutive Asian Cup.
They’re now 2-2 in quarterfinals.
The South Koreans won back-to-back titles in the first two tournaments but have not added one since 1960 — reaching the final for the last time in 1988.
Both teams created chances in soggy conditions after torrential afternoon storms soaked Bukit Jalil National Stadium, with Ali Karimi and Mehdi Mahdavikia creating the best opportunities for Iran.
Javad Nekounam went within an inch of giving Iran a lead at the end of the first period of extra time when his right-foot drive from the top of the area shaved the outside of the left post. And Lee saved a long-range strike from his Iranian counterpart Mahdavikia two minutes into the last period to keep it scoreless. It was Lee’s save against Mahdavikia to keep South Korea’s 2-1 lead in the shootout which swung the balance in his team’s favor.
Iran’s substitute goalkeeper Vahid Taleblou — sent in with about one minute to play in extra time — saved the next to keep the margin at 2-1 but Lee made another save on Khatabi’s effort with the tally at 3-2. Kim stepped up and calmly finished it off.
Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said he took full responsibility for the loss.
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Razan Baker, Arab News
JEDDAH, 23 July 2007 — True to form, Saudi Arabia delivered in the quarterfinals beating Uzbekistan 2-1 yesterday in the Asian Cup football tournament.
In front of thousands of cheering fans who flew all the way from the Kingdom the Green Falcons did not disappoint, and goals from captain Yasser “The Sniper” Al-Qahtani and Ahmed Al-Mousa gave them victory at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia.
With the win Saudi Arabia qualified for the semifinals against Japan in a match between three-time champions at the My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi, Vietnam. Iraq face South Korea at the National Stadium Bukit Jalil in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. South Korea won 4-2 in penalty shootout against Iran in the other quarterfinal match yesterday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Uzbekistan were in high spirits entering the match confident of repeating past successes against the Saudis including the 1-0 win during the 2004 tournament. But the young Saudi team did their homework and managed to turn the tables on the Uzbeks.
Saudi Arabia appeared to have sealed the victory on 72 minutes after Al-Mousa made it 2-0, but had to withstand a late Uzbekistan rally in which Pavel Solomin pulled one back and Alexander Geynrikh hit the post.
Striker Al-Qahtani blasted a close-range shot in at the far post in the second minute after Uzbek goalkeeper Ignatiy Nesterov failed to hold on to a cross from Abdulrahman Al-Qahtani.
Uzbekistan midfielder Server Djeparov hit the post with a long-range effort two minutes later and captain Maksim Shatskikh came desperately close to scoring early in the second half, but his powerful downward header bounced up to hit the underside of the bar.
Saudi Arabia, riled at home for their slow start to the tournament, gradually turned the screw on the central Asians, coming close twice before Al-Mousa fired home after picking up a threaded pass by Al-Qahtani in a crowded penalty area. Solomin scored from close range to cut the margin to one. With five minutes to go, Alexander Geynrikh turned neatly in the box but saw his shot hit the post.
Both semifinals are scheduled for Wednesday, with the championship match next Sunday at Jakarta.
World Cup star Lee Woon-jae made two crucial saves against Mehdi Mahdavikia and Rasoul Khatabi in the shootout and Kim Jung-woo slotted the clincher as South Korea won 4-2 on penalties. Their quarterfinal was scoreless after two periods of extra time.
It was the second quarterfinal match decided on penalties — defending champions Japan edged Australia 4-3 in a shootout Saturday after their match was locked 1-1 after extra time.
Lee, who helped South Korea into the 2002 World Cup semifinals via a shootout win over Spain, was at his agile best in the shootout against three-time champion Iran.
“I’m really happy we won, of course, but we have to forget that now and start preparations for the Iraq match,” said Lee, who needed treatment on his left ankle after making his second save in the shootout. “All the teams are desperate to get to Jakarta and to win the Asian Cup.” South Korea coach Pim Verbeek said the spirit of the 2002 World Cup campaign was alive in his young squad.
“I never have seen a Korean side that does not play with that spirit,” he said. “It’s one of the qualities of Korean football.
“I’m proud of the boys, obviously, but we still have (achieved) nothing here. We have to play the semifinal — we have to go for the final and the Cup.” South Korea — which finished second behind Saudi Arabia in Group D after a surprise loss to Bahrain — and Iran were meeting in a quarterfinal for the fourth consecutive Asian Cup.
They’re now 2-2 in quarterfinals.
The South Koreans won back-to-back titles in the first two tournaments but have not added one since 1960 — reaching the final for the last time in 1988.
Both teams created chances in soggy conditions after torrential afternoon storms soaked Bukit Jalil National Stadium, with Ali Karimi and Mehdi Mahdavikia creating the best opportunities for Iran.
Javad Nekounam went within an inch of giving Iran a lead at the end of the first period of extra time when his right-foot drive from the top of the area shaved the outside of the left post. And Lee saved a long-range strike from his Iranian counterpart Mahdavikia two minutes into the last period to keep it scoreless. It was Lee’s save against Mahdavikia to keep South Korea’s 2-1 lead in the shootout which swung the balance in his team’s favor.
Iran’s substitute goalkeeper Vahid Taleblou — sent in with about one minute to play in extra time — saved the next to keep the margin at 2-1 but Lee made another save on Khatabi’s effort with the tally at 3-2. Kim stepped up and calmly finished it off.
Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei said he took full responsibility for the loss.
http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/6774/sauditeamif7rg9.jpg
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v/CiGK-eIBDOI
v/PfEOWydXol4