Khalil scores twice as UAE down Japan

Saudi Arabia was to play Thailand in Riyadh in Group B.

Asian Cup champion Australia’s next match will be a tough one – UAE on Tuesday in the heat and humidity of Abu Dhabi.

“It was a great way to come back today”, said Juric, who was recalled by coach Ange Postecoglou after missing Australia’s friendlies against Greece in June.

The top two in Group A and B qualify for the World Cup in Russian Federation while the third-placed teams meet to decide who goes into a CONCACAF-Asian Zone playoff for a place at the finals.

Iran struck twice in second-half injury time for a dramatic 2-0 victory over Qatar at the jam-packed Azadi Stadium in Tehran.

With the memory of Japan’s defeat by the UAE after a 5-4 penalty shoot-out in the last eight of the Asian Cup in Australia previous year still fresh, Keisuke Honda quickly made amends, opening the scoring with an 11th-minute header on a Hiroshi Kiyotake free-kick during a hot and humid night at the Saitama Stadium.

With the match scoreless and evenly played, Neymar broke through with a penalty in the 72nd minute.

Asian champions Australia overcame a nervy start to beat Iraq 2-0 as Asia’s third round of 2018 World Cup qualifying got underway, with 12 teams vying for four automatic berths. Australia had 20 shots to Iraq’s six overall and had 72 percent of possession.

“We will focus on that during the next phase, but we also say to the UAE fans that you are our No 1 player, we need you in the stands in front of the Australian team and we know you will not let us down”.

In Seoul, Zheng Zhi s early own goal ultimately condemned China to a 3-2 defeat to South Korea despite a spirited fight-back from the visitors.

While South Korea are targeting a 10th World Cup, China have only ever reached the showpiece once, in 2002, although President Xi Jinping has ambitions of awakening the sleeping giant and turning it into a global football power. But Hai Yu pulled a goal back for China in the 74th, and Hao Junmin curled home a free kick two minutes later.

Forward Alexandr Geynrikh went on in the second half and scored the only goal late at Tashkent, pouncing on a rebound and sending a half-volley into the Syrian goal.

Khalil – in an effort reminiscient of Omar Abdulrahman’s during the UAE’s celebrated quarter-final shootout triumph at the 2015 Asian Cup against the same opponents – majestically chipping in his 13th goal in nine 2018 qualification clashes.

Quiet then became silent as the visitors doubled their lead nine minutes after the restart after they were awarded a penalty when Shinji Kagawa and Ryota Oshima combined to bring down Ismail Al Hammadi in the box.