Iran, China on rampage

Kazakstan and Thailand each have four points from a victory and a tie. Qatar has a victory and loss, while Lebanon has two losses. On Saturday, Thailand play Qatar and Kazakstan meet Lebanon.

In Group 3, China has a 2-0 record, with Iran and Oman trailing with a win and a loss apiece.

Oman goes into the final second-round match favoured to defeat Tajikistan.

That would leave Iran needing a clear victory over the Chinese to establish a three-way tie at the top with 2-1 records.

The two sides to advance into the knockout round would be decided on goal difference.

Agility and speed displayed by the young Chinese side contrasted with the power of anIranian team dominated by World Cup veterans.

A victory over Iran would be sweet for China, since two defeats to Iran kept China out of this year’s World Cup finals, while Iran qualified.

The rival Asian styles of soccer promise a tough clash Saturday.

Bobby Houghton, the Briton who coaches China, is not relaxed.

This group is still tough. “Any two of the three can still qualify,” he said. He knows it could come down to a goal differential.

Mansour Pourheidari, the Iranian coach, looked forward to that match.

“We want to win, both me and the players. On Saturday, we want three points against China,” Pourheidari said.

Iran quickly put the game against the Tajiks out of reach.

Bayern Munich star Daei opened the scoring in the third minute as Iran’s powerful offence quickly crumbled the Tajikistan left side.

Connecting with a long cross from near the corner, Daei headed high and at short range between the ‘keeper and the far post for his third goal of the games.

Bagheri added insurance inalmost identical circumstances eight minutes later. Khakpour, formerly a professional hero in Singapore, put the match away with a low 40-metre shot that Tajikistan goalie Akumed Enguzarov braced for but never touched.

In the second half, Daei and company had numerous chances to widen the score beyond Mosavi’s fourth-minute goal, but most were sloppily taken and went wide or over the crossbar.

With the play all in Tajikistan’s end, Daei finally pushed through a shot 20 minutes into the half from the top of the goal area, making it 5-0.