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Chinese captain Li Weifeng (L) fights for the ball against Kuwait
captain Bashar during their World Cup 2006 qualifying match
October 13, 2004. [Agencies] |
A stunning goal by Waleed Ali gave Kuwait a 1-0
win over China on Wednesday, sending the Middle Eastern side to the top of
their World Cup 2006 qualifying group and putting them into a strong
position to qualify for the final round of the Asian qualifiers.
The Kuwaiti midfielder found the back of the Chinese net three minutes
into the second half with a sweetly struck right foot drive into the top
right corner of the Chinese net.
The winning goal was set up by Yaquob Al Taher who beat defender Sun
Xiang on the right flank
before sending in a cross which was tipped away from striker Bashar
Abdullah by the Chinese goalkeeper.
Bashar readjusted himself though and nodded the ball back into the path
of Waleed, who hammered the ball home from the edge of the Chinese
box.
The Kuwaitis had gone into the match needing nothing less than a win to
keep their World Cup dreams alive.
After Waleed Ali's goal as Kuwait sat back to defend their lead,
goalkeeper Shabab Kankone was called into action to tip the ball away from
a charging Shao Jiayi and the Kuwaitis had another scare when Shao flicked
on a long ball into the danger area, just out of reach of Li Yi and Li
Jinyu.
 Kuwait were content to play on the counter-attack in the closing stages but
could have extended the lead as Bashar missed two excellent opportunities.
The Kuwait skipper broke the Chinese offside trap in the 75th minute to
run clear on goal only to see his shot tipped over by the goalkeeper and
then failed to convert a cross from just eight yards away as he turned the
ball over the crossbar.
The Kuwaitis avenged their 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Chinese in
Guangzhou in February and Mohammed Ibrahim's side now lead Group 4 on goal
difference. They next take on last-placed Malaysia on November 17 and can
clinch a place in the final qualifying round if they can at least match
China's result against Hong Kong on the same evening.
Wednesday's other Group 4 fixture saw Hong Kong completing the double
over Malaysia with a 2-0 win at the Mongkok Stadium. Siu Kei Chu opened
the scoring in the fifth minute before Chun Yue Wong settled matters with
Hong Kong's second five minutes into the second half.
Malaysia have yet to pick up a point in Group 4 and their woeful
evening was complete when striker Akmal Rizal Rakhli was sent off 11 minutes from time.
(Agencies) | 
Updated: 2004-10-14 09:29