Asian Soccer Wcq Programme

8/12/2019 Asian Soccer Wcq Programme

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AU ST RA LIA

UZBEKISTAN

JOR DA N

LEBANONI.R. IRANKOREA REPUBLIC

JAPAN

QATAR

IRAQ OMAN

Official Programme


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Dear friends of Asian football,

It is with great pleasure that I take the opportunity to address you ahead of

the decisive fourth round of Asian qualification matches for the 2014 FIFAWorld Cup. I am certain that we will witness football of the very highest

quality when the 10 teams still remaining on the road to Brazil compete for aplace in FIFAs flagship competition.

In this final round of qualifying, we will see an exciting line-up, as five formerWorld Cup participants have reached the last 10 toget her with five potential

newcomers, two of whom Jordan and Lebanon h ave already made history

by reaching this stage for the first time.

FIFA has so far carried out more than 120 Goal projects designed to develop

football on the continent. The progress of Asian teams in the FIFA/Coca-Cola

World Ranking, in qualifying and in the FIFA World Cup finals, is proof thatour efforts are bearing fruit.

However, this development would not have been possible without the strong

commitment of the AFC and th e member associations. In my numerous trips toAsia over the past years, I was able to see for myself how well the development

work is progressing thanks to tireless efforts of the AFC.

The evolution of the member associations of the AFC has been such that they

have proven themselves to be excellent hosts of various FIFA t ournaments,

which of course includes the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan and KoreaRepublic. In 2012 for example, Japan will be hosting the FIFA U-20 Womens

World Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup while the FIFA Futsal World Cup will

take place in Thailand.

On this note, I wish everyone an enjoyable final round of the Asian qualifiersfor the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the best of luck to all the teams.

For the Game. For the World.

Joseph S. Blatter

FIFA Message

Joseph S. BlatterFIFA President


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Dear friends,

It is time for Asias finest to head into the final round of qualifying for a place

in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil and earn the right to line up at world

footballs biggest festival.

After a number of surprises and shocks, goals and golden moments in the

first three qualification rounds, the field has been whittled down to 10 ofthe strongest teams in Asia. With four-and-a-half slots available in the

tournament proper for our teams, the competition promises to be intense andbreathtaking.

While some pre-ordained regulars like Japan, Korea Republic and A ustraliasecured their place in the final round of qualifying, first-timers were also out

in full force to leave their mark.

The qualification of Jordan and Lebanon and the ouster of traditional giants

Saudi Arabia proved that no team can take its place for granted as the gap

between the nations is being bridged at a fast pace. This bodes well for th eoverall continental game.

Uzbekistan pulled off a sensation by emerging as t he group winners afterdefeating Asian champions Japan in the third round to provide further

evidence of the fast emerging level playing field in Asia.

Iraq, meanwhile, are once again showing glimpses of t he same talent and

depth that saw them l ifting the AFC Asian Cup in 2007 and all this makes forexcellent news for the fans out there.

I would like to wish the teams the very best in their quest w hile remindingthem about the importance of fair pl ay and respect for opponents. Let football

in all its glory take centre stage!

Zhang Jilong

AFC Acting PresidentFIFA Executive Committee Member

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AFC Message

Zhang JilongAFC Acting President


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ON THE ROADTO RIO

Asias journey towards the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals continues

into the final stretch as the continents leading teams seek to

further enhance a reputation on the global stage that has been

steadily improving

1938 Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia)

1954 Korea Republic

1966 DPR Korea

1978 Iran

1982 Kuwait

1986 Korea Republic, Iraq

1990 Korea Republic, United Arab Emirates

1994 Korea Republic, Saudi Arabia

1998 Korea Republic, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Iran

2002 Korea Republic, Saudi Arabia, Japan, China

2006 Korea Republic, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Iran

2010 Korea Republic, Japan, DPR Korea, Australia

he f inal countdown for a be rth a t t he 2014 FIFA WorldCup finals begins in earnest once again as 10 of thecontinents leading nations set their sights on a place

the final draw for Brazil and a shot at the biggest prize in

ort.n to tal, 12 di fferent nations have represente d Asi a at theA World Cup si nce the tourna ment began bac k in 1930 andce then the continents performances at the FIFA World Cup seen a steady improveme nt when Asias represent atives

ve go ne face- to-face with th e games finest e xponents.The involvement of the Dutch East Indies in the 1938A World Cup was auspicious mainly for its status as the

ntinents first-ever appearance in the competition, with theuth East Asians eliminated in the first round by Hungary.t took almost another two decades before the continents represent ed again, wit h Korea Republi c progressing to t heals in Switzerland in 1954.

But Asian football truly arriv ed on the scene eight years laterEngland when DPR Korea, led by the goal scoring of Pak Do-captured the imagination with a run to the quarterfinalst saw the legendary Eusebio and his Portuguese team matesen a major fright.

Throughout the 1970s and 80s, Asias presence at the FIFArld Cup was guaranteed , with the allocati on of placesreasing from one to two for 1986 as Korea Republic

returned for the first time since 1958, to be joined by Iraq.While the Ira qis are still chasing a follow-up appearanc e at

the tournament, the Koreans laid down a marker that has seenthe country become a consistent qualifier since, including the

co-hosting of the tournament in 2002 with Japan.For all of Koreas consistency, though, it was debutant es

Saudi Arabia who, in 1994, became the first team since theNorth Ko reans to qualify for the knockout stages, with Sae edOwairans wonder-goal against Belgium playing a major rolein taking the Middle Eastern nation into the last 16.Eight years later marked the most auspicio us occurrence

to date for the Asian game when Korea Republic and Japanco-hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup, with both reaching the

knockout phase fo r the fi rst time .Japan were eliminated in the second round by a Turkey

side that would go on to reach the semi-finals, where theywere joined by a Korea Republi c te am that was swept alongon a wave of patriotic enthusiasm that ensured the best-everperformance by an Asian team to date at the FIFA WorldCup.

Those performances were followed in 2010 by another stellarshowing by the Japanese and Koreans in South Africa as bothonce again reached the knockout phase this time for thefirst time on foreign soil only to be eliminated by Paraguayand Uruguay respectively.

T

ON THE ROADTO RIO

Asias journey towards the 2014 FIFA World Cup nalscontinues into the nal stretch as the continents leading

teams seek to further enhance a reputation on the global

stage that has been steadily improving

Asias FIFA World Cup qualifiersAt a gl an ce

Hidetoshi Nakata starred for Japan at

the 1998 FIFA World Cup nals while

Saudi Arabias Sami Al Jaber (above)

represented his country at four FIFA

World Cup nals.


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orea Republics record of qualifying for the finals ofthe FIFA World Cup remains unparalleled in Asian

football as the nation sets sights on qualifying for a ninthtime in total and an eighth consecutive finals.

The most recent edition of the tournament, in SouthAfrica in 2010, saw the Taeguk Warriors shake off anylingering suggestions of underachievement at the FIFA

World Cup as Huh Jung-moo led the national side into theknockout phase.

While the Koreans fell in the Round of 16 to a Uruguayside that went on to reach the semifinals, progress beyondthe group stages of the competition was the first time thenation had managed to advance on foreign soil.

Of course, the countrys greatest achievement remainstheir performance in 2002 when, as co-hosts with Japan,Guus Hiddinks team made an astonishing charge to thelast four.Prior to the co-hosted event, the Koreans had never won a

game at the FIFA World Cup, with draws against Spain andBolivia in 1994 and Belgium four years later, among thecountrys best results since their first appearance in 1954.But victories over Poland and Portugal gave the Koreans a

boost in the group stages, qualifying them for the knockoutphase as group winners.It was in the Round of 16 that thefireworks started to fly. An emotional win over Italy thanksto Ahn Jung-hwans extra-time winner was followed bya penalty shootout success over Spain, a win that ensured

Korea Republic went further into the tournament than anyother Asian nation before them.Defeat at the hands of Germany and a loss against Turkey

in a thrilling third place play-off gave the Koreans fourthplace at the FIFA World Cup, a feat that will continue to

be one of the highlights of Asian football for many yearsto come.

Those achievements, though, raised the bar for the teamfour years later and, under Dutchman Dick Advocaat, the

K

AS AN EVER-PRESENT AT EACH FIFA WORLD CUPFINALS SINCE MEXICO IN 1986, KOREA REPUBLIC

GO INTO THE FINAL PHASE OF QUALIFYING FOR

BRAZIL 2014 AS ONE OF THE FAVOURITES TO

PROGRESS ONCE AGAIN

KOREAREPUBLIC


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and, in his place, came former GyeongnamFC coach Cho Kwang-rae, who oversaw aninjection of youth into the squad for thefinals of the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar inJanuary 2011.Despite their strong record in qualifying

for the FIFA World Cup, the Koreans havestruggled in recent years to match thatdominance in the continental championship,

with the country not claiming the titlesince the second of their two back-to-back

wins in 1960.The Qatar edition was to be no different,

although Chos squad played some of thetournaments most attractive football as the

Koreans finished third, with youngsters KooJa-cheol and Ji Dong-won impressing.Koo, who moved to Bundesliga side Vfl

Wolfsburg soon after the tournament, wasthe tournamentsleading goal scorer

with five goals,one more than Ji,

who in turn madea move to English

Premier League sideSunderland.

Chos tenure,

however, came to anabrupt end when,following defeat atthe hands of Lebanonin the third phase ofqualifying for Brazil2014, he was sackedand replaced by Choi

Kang-hee as nervesover the countrys

hopes of qualifyingfor the finals becamefrayed.

After reinstating anumber of senior players who had been lefton the sidelines under Chos rejuvenationof the team, Choi safely steered his nationthrough the final qualifying match against

Kuwait to keep alive Koreas hopes of yetanother trip to the greatest tournament ofthem all.

Koreans fell just short.Korea kicked off the tournament with

their first-ever win on foreign soil at a FIFAWorld Cup with a 2-1 win over Togo thatcame courtesy of a Lee Chung-soo free

kick and a long range strike from Ahn andfollowed up with a1-1 draw with 1998champions France.But defeat in their

final group matchagainst Switzerlandleft the Koreansstranded, just missingout on a place in the

last 16.The lessons of that

performance wereheeded four yearslater, however, whendespite opening thecampaign with a2-0 win over Greeceand a 4-1 defeat atthe hands of Lionel

Messis Argentina,the Koreans advanced

with a 2-2 draw in apulsating clash with

Nigeria in Durban.That set up the meeting with the

Uruguayans, who emerged the victors dueto a pair of goals from Luis Suarez, thesecond coming just 10 minutes from time.Huh chose to stand down as head coach

in the aftermath of the FIFA World Cup


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Lee Jung-soo

ugged central defender Lee Jung-soo has established himself as one of

the most accomplished defensive players in Asian football even though

international recognition has come relatively late in his career.

The 31-year-old was not part of Koreas squad at the 2006 FIFA World Cup

nals as he steadily worked his way through a number of K-League clubs, playing

for FC Seoul and Incheon United before winning the domestic title with Suwon

Bluewings in 2008.

A move to Japan soon followed and stints with Kyoto Purple Sanga and Kashima

Antlers saw him impress in the J.League and earn himself a prolonged run in the

national team.

He shone at the FIFA World Cup nals in 2010, scoring from set plays in the win

over Greece and the 2-2 draw with Nigeria before leaving Japan to join Al Sadd

in Qatar, where he was instrumental in the clubs run to glory in the 2011 AFC

Champions League.

R

he man known as The Lion King has long been the pin-up boy of Korean

football, but former Pohang Steelers and Middlesbrough striker Lee Dong-

gook is now in the veteran stage of his career.

Lee returned to the national side with the arrival of Choi Kang-hee and will,

somewhat surprisingly given his longevity, only be taking part in the qualifyingtournament for the FIFA World Cup nals for the second time.

The 33-year-old has been selected for two FIFA World Cup squads, featuring

in the 5-0 loss against the Netherland in France in 1998, while also appearing

twice against Argentina and Uruguay in 2010. He was not selected for 2002

by Guus Hiddink while injury kept him out of 2006.

Lees record at both international and club level is impressive. He won the

Asian Club Championship title with Pohang in 1998 as a 19-year-old and in 2000

he was top scorer at the AFC Asian Cup. He was also top scorer in the 2011 AFC

Champions League as he helped Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors to the nal. He also

has two K-League titles to his name, in 2009 and 2011.

T

KEY PLAYERS

HEAD COACH

hoi Kang-hee successfullysteered Korea Republic into

the final phase of qualifying for theFIFA World Cup finals after beingbrought in to replace Cho Kwang-rae, who was sacked following adefeat at the hands of Lebanon.

Choi brings a vast amount ofexperience at club level in bothKorean and Asian competitions to

the role, having led Jeonbuk HyundaiMotors to the AFC ChampionsLeague in 2006 and, subsequently,coached the club at the FIFA ClubWorld Cup the same year.

The 53-year-old goes into the jobhaving won the K-League title lastseason with Jeonbuk while alsotaking the club to the final of theAFC Champions League again lastyear, where they lost to Al Saddfrom Qatar.

Choi has signed an 18-month dealwith the Korea Football Association,an arrangement which is expectedto see him return to Jeonbuk oncethe qualifying tournament for Brazil2014 has been completed.

C

Choi Kang-hee

Lee Dong-gook


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PORTUGUESE COACH CARLOS QUEIROZ IS

IN CONFIDENT MOOD AS IRAN SET THEIR

SIGHTS ON REACHING THE FINALS OF THEFIFA WORLD CUP AFTER MISSING OUT ON

SOUTH AFRICA 2010

I.R. IRAN

With appearances at the finals of three FIFA WorldCup, only Japan, Korea Republic and Saudi Arabia

among Asian nations have appeared at the games greatesttournament on more occasions than Iran.But after missing out on a place in South Africa in 2010,

the desire to return to the finals of the FIFA World Cupburns bright for the Iranians, especially after seeing theirnational team once again miss out on silverware at theAFC Asian Cup last year.Irans run at the tournament was halted yet again by the

Koreans as an extra-time strike by Yoon Bitgaram deniedIran a place in the semifinals, a stage of the competition

they have not reached since 1996.Astonishingly, it was the fourth tournament in a row

that the Iranians had been denied in the last eight by theKoreans and having been drawn to face the eight-timeFIFA World Cup qualifiers in Group A, Team Melli will belooking for revenge.In the time since, however, there have been a number

of significant changes for the Iranians, the most notableof which has been the arrival of new coach Carlos Queirozfollowing the departure of Afshin Ghotbi.

Queiroz is the first high-profile foreign coach to takecharge of the team and the Iranians have benefitted from


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will be confident of making a majorimpression in the battle for the four-and-a-half places available in Brazil.

Of course, I think Group A will be verycompetitive and I can see at the end allthe candidates have a chance but I think

if we are well prepared Im very confidentthat Iran has a good chance to qualify, saidQueiroz.

What is important at the end is to befirst or second with more points than theother teams, it doesnt matter if you winor draw. Of course, there are some special

games and Im very confident we canimprove and we can be more accurate andefficient.

We need to think about the games wehave in front of us and come up with avery accurate and complex ambitions to

prepare for Iran.This is a greatopportunity for thecountry and forthe team but wecan only do it if

we come up with aproper preparationprogramme.

The form of histeam in the build-up to the qualifiers

has put Queiroz ina confident moodthat Brazil 2014 canregister as Iransfourth FIFA WorldCup appearance.

I think we havea good chance, we

have a good team,we have the playersbut the most

important thing now is the preparationplan to support our goals and our dreamson this road to the World Cup 2014, hesaid.

This is what we need to concentrate onnow and thats what we need to focus on,to prepare the Iranian national team.

is organisation both on and off the pitchthe Portuguese has made the Iranians ater-drilled outfit.

The fruits of those labours were onplay in the third round of qualifying asn cruised through to the final phase with

unbeaten recordngside Qatar andead of Bahraind Indonesia.The most eye-ching result

Queirozsm during thenultimate roundqualifying came

ainst Bahrain asdifferent players

t their name onscore-sheet in

6-0 win at theadi Stadium.His team, likeotbis before him,ntinues to be built

the solidity oftral defensivetnership Hadihili and Seyedal Hosseini with Javad Nekounam anddranik Teymourian providing the graftmidfield and Ali Karimi the creativity inattacking third.

With young star Karim Ansarfiard all bute to come to the fore as the qualifyingrnament unfolds, Queiroz and company

Javad Nekounam

ith a wealth of experience and talent, dynamic midelder Javad Nekounam

has anchored the Iran team for much of the last decade, playing a key role

in steering the nation to the nals of the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.

The 31-year-old signed for Osasuna in the aftermath of the FIFA World Cup in

Germany having previously played for Pas in Iran and served short stints with Al

Wahda and Al Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.

He has established himself as a regular at the heart of the team after spurning

others from throughout Europe to move to Spain while also making more than 100

appearances for Team Melli.

W

Karim Ansarifard

urrently the hottest talent in Iranian football, striker Karim Ansarifard hasbeen likened to arguably his most famous and illustrious predecessor in the

countrys attacking line, Ali Daei.

Hailing from Ardabil, the same city as Daei, the comparisons with the former

Bayern Munich and Hertha Berlin forward have followed Ansarifard since early

in his career, when he was signed by the Saipa club during Daeis time there as

manager.

Although just 22, Ansarifard is widely considered the next superstar of Iranian

football and he has already attracted interest from clubs in Germany and

England.

C

KEY PLAYERS

HEAD COACH

ell-travelled Portuguesecoach Carlos Queiroz took

over at the helm of the Iran teamfollowing Afshin Ghotbis resignationin the aftermath of the AFC AsianCup finals in Qatar at the start of2011.

The former Real Madrid,Manchester United and Portugalcoach has brought a renewed

sense of professionalism to the set-up, utilizing hisvast experience ofthe global game to overhaul howthe team functions.

Queiroz encouraged veteranplaymaker Ali Karimi to come out ofinternational retirement to featureonce again for the national sideand his record in charge has seenIran reach the final phase withoutdefeat.

The 59-year-old has previousexperience working at national levelin Asia, having coached the UnitedArab Emirates during the late 1990swhile he also steered JapansNagoya Grampus to the final of theAsian Cup Winners Cup in 1996.

W

Carlos Queiroz


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A RUN TO THE SEMI-FINALS OF THE 2011

AFC ASIAN CUP CONFIRMED UZBEKISTANS

STATUS AS ONE OF ASIAS LEADING SIDES,BUT NOW THE CENTRAL ASIANS MUST DO

IT ALL AGAIN TO SECURE A MAIDEN TICKET

TO THE FIFA WORLD CUP FINALS.

UZBEKISTAN

Uzbekistan have consistently been the strongest teamout of the Central Asian nations following the break-

up of the Soviet Union, but have so far stumbled duringtheir four previous appearances in World Cup qualifierssince joining the AFC in 1994.But after reaching the semi-finals of the 2011 AFC Asian

Cup and topping their third round group ahead of Asianchampions Japan, Uzbekistan are out to make history witha maiden World Cup appearance in Brazil the ideal settingat which to announce themselves on the world stage.

After gaining independence in 1991, Uzbekistanproclaimed themselves as a new nation on the footballingmap after winning the gold medal at the 1994 AsianGames in Japan before the countrys U-20 team qualifiedfor the FIFA World Youth Championship in 2003.Uzbekistan then finished third behind Saudi Arabia and

Korea Republic in the final round of World Cup qualifiersahead of the 2006 World Cup in Germany before losing to

Bahrain on the away goals rule in the play-offs.The Uzbeks then endured a disastrous 2010 campaign

with only a solitary win against Qatar and a draw againstJapan leaving Uzbekistan at the bottom of their group,

which also contained Australia and Bahrain.But at the AFC Asian Cup at the start of last year,

Uzbekistan showed significant signs of a turnaround,topping their group with an unbeaten record as goals fromServer Djeparov and Odil Akhmedov secured a 2-0 winover hosts Qatar, while Djeparov and Maksim Shatskikh

were on target as Abramovs side recorded a 2-1 win overKuwait.

A 2-2 draw with China ensured Uzbekistans place atthe top of the group ahead of Qatar as Akhmedov andAlexander Geynrikh netted.Ulugbek Bakaev then scored twice in three second half

minutes against Jordan in the quarter-finals as Uzbekistanrecorded a 2-1 win to finally reach the last four followingquarter-final exits in 2004 and 2007.Uzbekistan, though, were unceremoniously dumped out

by Australia in the semi-finals as the Socceroos scoredsix unanswered goals and Uzbekistan eventually finishedfourth after being edged out 3-2 by Korea in the thirdplace play-off - although the result was still their best everperformance in the continental championship.

A convincing 7-0 aggregate win over Kyrgyzstan securedUzbekistan their place in the third round of qualifiers for a fifthconsecutive World Cup qualifying campaign.

And Abramovs charges won five of their six games whileconceding just one goal in their draw with Japan to ease through


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an increasing number of Uzbekistansnational team have moved overseas withmidfielder Azizbek Haydarov playing forAl Shabab Al Arabi in the United Arab

Emirates, while the likes of Ahmedov, SanjarTursunov, Vagiz Galiulin play in Russia.

Djeparov remains the heartbeat of theside behind lone striker Geynrikh, withthe Middle East based playmakers rangeof passing and vision earning the former

Bunyodkor midfielder a second AFC Playerof the Year award in 2011 after also landingthe prize in 2008.

Highly-rated Ahmedov, who spentthis season on loan in Russia with Anzhi

Makhachkala after attracting considerableinterest from across Europe and the Middle

East following his showing in Qatar at thestart of last year, and Haydarov provide a

solid central midfieldpairing.L e f t - s i d e d

midfielder Kapadze,who plays in the UAEPro Le ague wi th AlSharjah, is closingin on becomingthe first player to

win 100 caps forUzbekista n.

P a k h t a k o r sGeyn r i kh ha sassumed the leadingfrontman role, while

versatile Ukraine-based veteran strikerShatskikh offers anadditional optiongoing forward eitherup front or on theleft side of a five-man midfield.

Experienced Bunyodkor goalkeeperIgnatiy Nestervov who missed the defeatby Australia in Qatar offers a safe pair ofhands between the posts, with midfielderViktor Karpenko often deployed at right-back after deputising in the role at the2011 AFC Asian Cup.

ad of the Asian champions from a groupich also contained DPR Korea and Tajikistan.

Maksim Shatskikh scored as Uzbekistanorded a 1-0 away win over Tajikistan ontchday One before Japans Shinji Okazakiuck in the second half to cancel out Serverparovs early opener

Tashkent.A solitary goalm Alexanderynrikh midwayough the firstf as Uzbekistanended theirbeaten start within over DPR KoreaPyongyang, while

mur Kapadzeske at the startthe second halfved the differenceween the sides inreturn fixture in

hkent.Sanjar Tursunov,l Akhmedov and

ynrikh were all onget in the 3-0 winer Tajikistan ontchday Five before Uzbekistan roundedtheir unbeaten campaign in style as

ksandr Shadrins goal midway throughsecond half secured a 1-0 win over

an at Toyota Stadium.With Djeparov plying his trade in Saudibia with domestic champions Al Shabab,

Server Djeparovwo-time AFC Player of the Year Server Djeparov played a central role as in

Uzbekistans run to the semi-nals of the 2011 AFC Asian Cup after also

helping his country reach the quarter-nals in both 2004 and 2007.

Djeparov won the Uzbek League title on six consecutive occasions with

Pakhtakor before he joined big-spending Bunyodkor. And in his rst season in

2008 Bunyodkor reached the semi-nals of the AFC Champions League and won

the double to earn Djeparov his rst AFC Player of the Year award. An eighth

Uzbek League title soon followed in 2009 before Djeparov joined K-League side

FC Seoul in mid-2010. Djeparov helped FC Seoul win the 2010 K-League title.

After helping Uzbekistan to the semi-nals of the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, he left

for Saudi Arabias Al Shabab in July 2011. A second AFC Player of the Year award

followed at the end of 2011 before Djeparov landed another domestic crown as Al

Shabab won the 2011/12 Saudi League title.

T

Odil Ahmedov

dil Ahmedov spent the 2011/12 season on loan from Uzbek side Pakhtakorwith big-spending Russian Premier League side Anzhi Makhachkala.

He was named Uzbekistan Player of the Year in 2011 ahead of Djeparov after

an eye-catching display at the AFC Asian Cup. He scored twice and played

every minute in Qatar, with his long range strike against hosts Qatar one of the

goals of the tournament.

His display in Doha attracted interest from across Europe and the Middle East

and he joined Anzhi in February 2011 to play alongside former Barcelona striker

Samuel Etoo. The tough-tackling midelder was named Anzhis Player of the

Year for 2011 ahead of former Chelsea midelder Yuriy Zhirkov.

O

KEY PLAYERS

HEAD COACH

unyodkor coach MirdjalalKasimov replaced Vadim

Abramov following the 1-0 openingday defeat by Iran in the finalround of qualifying for the 2014FIFA World Cup. Former nationalteam captain Kasimov returns fora second spell in charge of theUzbekistan national team having

served as assistant at the 2007AFC Asian Cup before takingfull charge of the side betweenSeptember 2008 and March 2009.Following his retirement in 2005after establishing as a legend forhis country, the former playmakerled Bunyodkor to the semi-finalsof the 2008 AFC ChampionsLeague before taking over thenational team reigns for the firsttime. And Kasimov will remain asBunyodkor coach having returnedto the club in 2010, with the four-time Uzbekistan champions havingsecured a place in the quarter-finals of the AFC ChampionsLeague for the first time since2009.

B

Mirdjalal Kasimov


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QATARS IMPENDING HOSTING OF THE FIFA

WORLD CUP FINALS WILL INCREASE THE

PRESSURE ON THE GULF STATE TO QUALIFYFOR THE TOURNAMENT AHEAD OF THEIR

2022 DATE WITH DESTINY

QATAR

When FIFA President Sepp Blatter pulled Qatars nameout of an envelope and displayed it up to the worlds

television cameras as the successful bidder for the hostingof the 2022 FIFA World Cup finals, the pressure on theQatar Football Association was automatically cranked up.No nation has hosted the finals of the FIFA World Cup

without having previously qualified for the tournament andthe Qataris will be determined to ensure that they will not

become the first to make their debut at the competition onhome soil.

That leaves the Qatar national team and all those associat edwith it just two opportunities to book a berth at the finalsand few would relish a make or break battle to book a spotin Russia in 2018 without first having progressed to Brazil2014.

As a result, the pressure on coach Paolo Autuori andhis team will be immense when the final phase of Asiasqualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup commences.However, although the Qataris have never qualified for

the FIFA World Cup, they went close to reaching the finalsin France in 1998.

Then, with just one round of matches remaining, theDzemal Hadziabdic-coached team knew a win from theirmeeting with Saudi Arabia would take them through to thedrawn in Marseilles several weeks later, only to lose outthanks to a goal by Ibrahim Swaid.

That victory for the Saudis earned them a place in thefinals while Iran took second in the group and a spot in theplayoff for Asias remaining berth while the Qataris wereleft to rue a number of missed opportunities earlier in the


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Like table-toppers Iran, the Qataris emergedwithout a defeat yet only registered two wins,both against last-placed Indonesia.

Autuori oversaw Qatars final qualifyingmatch after taking over from his Braziliancompatriot Sebastiao Lazaroni at the turn

of the year, becoming the fourth person tooccupy the position since the start of 2011.

The draw was balanced in both groups,said Autuori recently. Generally speaking,in such qualifiers there are no easy groups

because all the teams have a chance and thedifferences are not that big.

We must prepare very well for the finalround because it is an important event forus. All the matches will be very hard andthere will be no easy or strong teams.

Our group is strong as there are goodnames like Uzbekistan, who defeated Japan

in front of theirfans, while Iran are

very hard to beat athome.

Korea Republicare well known fortheir experienceand strength while

Lebanon proved to be

a good team especiallyafter qualifying to thisstage.

The Qataris will behoping former AFCPlayer of the YearKhalfan Ibrahim cancontinue his scoringstreak after findingthe back of the neton four occasions inthe last six qualifiers,

with three of thosecoming in the two

meetings with Indonesia.The pressure to deliver will be significant

but with Autuori a man who has won boththe Copa Libertadores and the FIFA Club

World Cup at the helm and a talentedsquad, Qatar will be confident of bringingtheir FIFA World Cup absence to an end.

alifying campaign.ince then, Qatar have not managed toclose. In qualifying for Korea and Japan02, they finished fourth in their five-teamup and four years later for Germany theysed out on a place in the final round of

alifying.Qatar made ito the final round

South Africa10 but, as in thealifiers for 2002,y finished fourththeir group andre well adrift ofstralia and Japan,o took the slotsilable at theals.ince then, there

ve been movesde to ensureough progressh the national sideshing Japan to thenk of eliminationring the 2011 AFCan Cup while theSadd club claimedAFC Champions League crown later the

me year.Qatar sealed their place in the final phasequalifying for Brazil 2014 thanks to a 2-2w with Iran at the Azadi Stadium, whichured they took second spot in Group E, ant ahead of Bahrain.

Sebastian Soria

ruguay-born striker Sebastian Soria has long been the pin-up boy of Qatar

football after choosing Qatar over the land of his birth.

The pacy and powerful forward was a member of Qatars gold medal winning

team at the 2006 Asian Games, which were held in Doha, and soon after he

became one of the key players in the full national side.

He joined Al Gharafa at the age of just 21 and soon after he was given citizenship,

prompting his eligibility for the national side.

He has since signed for Qatar Sports Club and led the line for Qatar at the 2011

AFC Asian Cup, when they reached the quarternals.

U

Khalfan Ibrahim

halfan Ibrahim emerged into the limelight at the tender age of 18 when hewas named the AFC Player of the Year in 2006, becoming the rst and so

far only Qatari to win the title.

The son of a former Qatar international, Ibrahim shone brightly as a teenager

and was part of the nations gold medal winning team at the 2006 Asian Games

but suffered several serious injuries hampered his development.

He eventually returned to full tness and form, however, and he was a member

of the Qatari squad that reached the quarternals of the AFC Asian Cup and was

a winner of the AFC Champions League with Al Sadd last season.

K

KEY PLAYERS

HEAD COACH

idely travelled Braziliancoach Paulo Autuori took

over ahead of Qatars final match inthe third round of FIFA World Cupqualifying, replacing compatriotSebastiao Lazaroni.

Autuori is the fourth coach to fillthe role since the start of 2011,with Bruno Metsu in charge untilthe completion of the countryscommitments at the AFC AsianCup before being replaced byMilovan Rajevac, who steered theteam through the second round ofqualifying.

Rajevac, in turn, was succeededby Lazaroni, who was oustedat the end of 2011 following adisappointing performance at thePan Arab Games.

Autuori has worked extensivelyin his native Brazil but also hasexperience in Japan, where hewas Kashima Antlers coach, and inQatar with Al Rayyan. He also ledSao Paolo to victory in the CopaLibertadores and the FIFA ClubWorld Cup in 2005.

WPaolo Autuori


14/31

LEBANONS PROGRESS TO THE FINAL PHASE OF

QUALIFYING IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST SURPRISES

IN THE RECENT HISTORY OF ASIAN FOOTBALL. BUTCAN THEY RAISE THEIR GAME FURTHER STILL TO

COMPETE FOR A PLACE IN BRAZIL?

LEBANON

For much of the last 15 years, the primary boasts offootball in Lebanon have been the success of star

playmaker Roda Antar and the fact the nation hosted

the finals of the AFC Asian Cup in 2000.Now, with progress to the final phase of Asias

qualifying tournament for the 2014 FIFA World Cup inBrazil, Lebanon and t he cou ntrys p assionate footballfollowers have something more tangible to celebrate.When coach Theo Bucke r returned to the helm of th e

team ahead of the third phase of qualifying for Brazil2014, Lebanons involvement in Group B was seen as

barely maki ng up the numbers against Korea Republic,the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

Six months later, however, Bucker had mastermindedthree wins and a draw that brought wit h them a place inthe final round of qualifying, keeping alive Lebanonsunlikely hopes of a first-ever appearance at the finalsof the FIFA World Cup.For the Lebanese the turnaround has been

astonishing.Barely 18 months before, the national team had

been disbanded, playing twice in the first quarter ofthe year and not reconvening again until a friendlymeeting with Kuwait in July 2011 after missing the

regional West Asian Football Federation Championshipsin September 2010.Heavy defeats at t he h ands o f K uwait a nd th e UAE

in friendly matches as well as a loss against Omandid not auger well for the Lebanese and then-coach

Emile Rustom, who was replaced after Lebanon hadmanaged to see off Bangladesh in the second round ofqualifying.In his pla ce came Bucker, an enigmatic German who

had previ ously led the te am a decade e arlier and whoinstantly galvanized the squad.

I used to say that Lebanese football was not underthe carpet because if you lift the carpet you would

have seen it, said Bucker. But Leb anons footba ll wasnot under the carpet, it was under the ground.

I believe in the existing quality of the players, butnobody found out how to use the qualities of theplayers.


15/31

28 29

reached the second round of South Africa2010 a 2-1 loss in Beirut, with Abbas AliAtwi scoring the decisive second.Not even a 4-2 loss against th e UAE in

the final group match could deny Lebanonthe opportunity of going through to the

next round and, in turn, sending theLebanese fans into rap tures.

You live there and you look on thestreets and the people are enthusiastic,says Bucker. They love football.

During the World Cup, they put theflags from Germany, England, Brazil,

everywhere on their balconies. Why?Because they dont have a ny team wherethey can address their life to, regardingfootball.

Now, suddenly, like a big explosion,the whole country is upside down.

They really lovefootball so muchand I need, thesedays, urgently,someone who isanswering all themessages I receiveon Facebook.

Its unbelievable

what has happened.In previous yearsI could go to theairport just beforemy flight, now I

have to leave anhour earlier becauseeveryone wants totake a photo or totalk.

On one handits ok, but on theother hand itsanother demand

for the future because they believe weare something and we have to live up toour new position and we dont want todisappoint our people.

The whole football situation isbecoming better but i t take s a little bitmore, lets say facilities, structure.

Me, Im an old football player andm this kind of feeling I had as anplayer I am coaching today. We are

rking with a different philosophyd my way of working with the teamd in the training session and in thetches is differentalmost everyonee. I dont believe

working anyer way.In the end, peopleer any match

one simpleestion: what isresult? Whoeverthe coach, thectators, doesnt

unt. This is allt counts.

The new approachd dividends forcker and hism, but only after6-0 thrashing

ainst Korea in theening match of

third round ofalifying. A 3-1n a gainst the UAE was followed by aw and a win over Kuwait that turnedgroup on its head.

However, it was the next result thatlly made all of Asian football taketice as Buckers team handed a Koreanad packed with players who had

Roda Antar

rguably Lebanons most famous footballing son, creative midelder Roda

Antar made an impression early in his career, earning selection for his countrys

23-man squad for the hosting of the AFC Asian Cup nals in 2000 despite being

just 20 years old.

He was soon on his way to Bundesliga side SV Hamburg from Tadamon Sur

and, although he struggled to establish himself as a regular member of the starting

line-up, he was picked up by SC Freiburg, where he continued to develop and

improve.

Antar made more than 100 appearances for Freiburg in all competitions before

join FC Koln, where he spent two seasons before moving to the Chinese Super

League, where he currently plies his trade for Shandong Luneng.

A

Youssef Mohamad

ow reaching the veteran stage of his career, 31-year-old defender Youssef

Mohamad returned to play in the Middle East with Al Ahli in the United Arab

Emirates at the start of the 2011/12 season after an impressive seven-year spell

in the Bundesliga.Like Roda Antar, Mohamad featured in Lebanons 2000 AFC Asian Cup squad

as a 20-year-old and the pair were reunited in Germany when Mohamad joined

SC Freiburg in 2004, spending three seasons with the club.

In 2007, he signed for FC Koln alongside Antar, remaining with the club until

the end of the 2010/11 season and playing in excess of 120 times for the club

from the Ruhr region.

Mohamad was recalled to the national team with the arrival of Theo Bucker

after a fall out with the previous coaching staff and his performances in defence

have been instrumental in Lebanons success.

N

KEY PLAYERS

HEAD COACH

erman coach Theo Bucker isin his second stint as head

coach of the Lebanon national teamhaving previously been at the helmof the team in the aftermath of thecountrys hosting of the AFC AsianCup in 2000.

The 63-year-old, who had stintsat Borussia Dortmund and Schalke04 during his playing career, has

worked throughout the Arab world,coaching in Egypt and Saudi Arabiaas well as in Lebanon.

Bucker was serving as coach of AlAhed club in the Lebanese capitalBeirut when he was asked to takeover from Emile Rustom and hismethods have borne fruit whereothers have failed.

Bucker has adopted Lebanon ashis home and his passion for boththe team and the country havestrengthened the bonds betweenhimself and the nations footballfans, who have hailed him for thefeat of steering the team to the finalphase of qualifying for the FIFAWorld Cup for the first time ever.

GTheo Bucker


16/31

Date Match Date MatchDate Match Date Match

UZBEKISTAN vs I.R. IRAN

LEBANON vs QATAR

QATAR vs KOREA REPUBLIC

LEBANON vs UZBEKISTAN

KOREA REPUBLIC vs LEBANON

I.R. IRAN vs QATAR

LEBANON vs I.R. IRAN

UZBEKISTAN vs KOREA REPUBLIC

QATAR vs UZBEKISTAN

I.R. IRAN vs KOREA REPUBLIC

3 Jun 2012

8 Jun 2012

2 Jun 2012

Sept 2012

6 Oct 2012

JORDAN vs IRAQ

JAPAN vs OMAN

OMAN vs AUSTRALIA

JAPAN vs JORDAN

AUSTRALIA vs JAPAN

IRAQ vs OMAN

JAPAN vs IRAQ

JORDAN vs AUSTRALIA

OMAN vs JORDAN

IRAQ vs AUSTRALIA

3 Jun 2012

8 Jun 2012

12 Jun 2012

11 Sept 2012

16 Oct 2012

I.R. IRAN vs UZBEKISTAN

QATAR vs LEBANON

KOREA REPUBLIC vs QATAR

UZBEKISTAN vs LEBANON

LEBANON vs KOREA REPUBLIC

QATAR vs I.R. IRAN

I.R. IRAN vs LEBANON

KOREA REPUBLIC vs UZBEKISTAN

14 Nov 2012

26 Mar 2013

4 Jun 2013

11 Jun 2013

18 Jun 2013UZBEKISTAN vs QATAR

KOREA REPUBLIC vs I.R. IRAN

IRAQ vs JORDAN

OMAN vs JAPAN

AUSTRALIA vs OMAN

JORDAN vs JAPAN

JAPAN vs AUSTRALIA

OMAN vs IRAQ

IRAQ vs JAPAN

AUSTRALIA vs JORDAN

14 Nov 2012

26 Mar 2013

4 Jun 2013

11 Jun 2013

18 Jun 2013JORDAN vs OMAN

AUSTRALIA vs IRAQ

I.R. IRAN

KOREA REPUBLIC

LEBANON

QATAR

UZBEKISTAN

I.R. IRAN KOREA REPUBLIC LEBANON QATAR UZBEKISTAN

AUSTRALIA

IRAQ

JAPAN

JORDAN

OMAN

AUSTRALIA IRAQ JAPAN JORDAN OMAN

S C H E D U L EGROUP AI.R. IRAN

KOREA REPUBLIC

LEBANON

QATAR

UZBEKISTAN

AUSTRALIA

IRAQ

JAPAN

JORDAN

OMAN

GROUP B


17/31

BACK-TO-BACK APPEARANCES AT THE FIFA WORLD

CUP AND A RUNNERS-UP FINISH AT THE AFC ASIAN

CUP WILL SEE HOLGER OSIECKS SIDE GO INTOTHE FINAL ROUND OF QUALIFYING IN CONFIDENT

MOOD

AUSTRALIA

aving suffered a heartbreaking defeat i n the 2011 AFCAsian Cup final, Australias ageing band of household

names have more determination than ever to secure athird consecutive FIFA World Cup finals appearance.With German coach Holger Osieck in the process of

evolving the side after Australia narrowly missed out afirst piece of silverware since moving to Asia followingtheir dramatic extra-time defeat by Japan in Qatar at thestart of last year, Brazil 2014 realistically represents thelast chance for the likes of talismanic midfielder Tim Cahill,colourful striker Harry Kewell, goalkeeper Mark Schwarzerand captain Lucas Neill to appear on the world stage.When the 20th edition of the FIFA World Cup begins in

Brazil on June 12, Everton midfielder Cahill, A-League-

based Kewell and Al Jazira defender Neill will be in theirmid-30s while veteran Fulham custodian Schwarzer will

be just under four months away from turning 42.An appearance by Schwarzer in Russia 2018 is not out of

the question given the extended shelf life of goalkeepers,but for Messrs Cahill, Kewell and Neill, Brazil likelyrepresents the end of the road for the trio who have closeto 200 international caps between them prior to the startof the final round of World Cup qualifiers.

Schwarzer, who was the hero in the penalty shootoutagainst Uruguay during the qualifying campaign forGermany 2006 that earned Australia a return to the WorldCup after an absence of 32 years, is himself set to reachthe 100 cap milestone for the Socceroos during the final

H


18/31

35

third round of FIFA World Cup qualifyingcampaign due to a string of injures, butmade a timely return to form and fitnessduring Evertons strong end to their

Premier League campaign in England.He made his only start of the campaign

as Australia began the third round with anervous 2-1 win over Thailand in Brisbane

before coming off the bench for a latecameo as the Socceroos stunned SaudiArabia in Dammam as Josh Kennedy scoredtwice to secure a 3-1 win.

Those back-to-back wins handed

Australia the perfect start to life in GroupD after securing automatic passage to thethird round, and with further victories overThailand and Oman either side of a surprisedefeat by Oman in Muscat, the Socceroos

had secured their place in the final roundwith relative ease.

M e l b o u r n eVictorys Kewellthen made only hissecond appearanceof the campaignand put his nameon the scoresheetas Australia scored

three times in foursecond half minutesto beat Saudi Arabia4-2 in Melbourne a defeat whicheliminated the Green

Falcons.The likes of Luke

Wilkshire MileJedinak, Carl Valeriand Matt McKay allracked up significantmileage and minutesduring the third

round after playing central roles in Qatar,while Matthew Spiranovic and fit-againstriker Josh Kennedy were also heavilyutilised by Osieck on the road to Brazilafter Australia fielded the second oldestsquad at the FIFA World Cup in SouthAfrica.

round of FIFA World Cup qualifiers.Following Schwarzers heroics and John

Aloisis winning spot kick on a memorablenight in Sydney in November 2005, Cahillthen scored Australias first goal at the

FIFA World Cup against Japan as Australiareached the Round of16 in 2006 beforenarrowly falling toeventual champions

Italy 1-0, in the sameyear they joinedthe Asian FootballConfederation.

The Socceroos thensecured a trip toSouth Africa theirfirst qualificationsince switching fromOceania but missedout on a place inthe second roundon goal differencedespite beatingSerbia 2-1 thanksto goals from Cahilland Brett Holman.

And at the startof 2011, Schwarzer,

Neill and Sasa Ognenovski, another ofAustralias over 30 band who only made

his international debut two months earlier,were the only players to play every minutein Qatar, while Cahill and Kewell alsostarted all six games.

Cahill did miss the majority of the


19/31

37

Tim Cahill

T

owering Nagoya Grampus striker Josh Kennedy missed Australias run to

the 2011 AFC Asian Cup nal after injury prevented the two-time J.League

top scorer from making the trip to Qatar.

But the 1.94m tall striker marked his return to the side with four goals in ve

games during the third round of World Cup qualiers which included a doubleas Australia beat Saudi Arabia 3-1 in Dammam.

Kennedy moved to Germany in 2001 as an 18-year-old, joining V Wolfsburg

before signing for Nurnberg prior to the 2006 FIFA World Cup, where he made

substitute appearances against Japan and Croatia. Following the tournament,

he snapped his Achilles tendon and missed the 2007 AFC Asian Cup.

But following an unsuccessful spell with Karlsruhe, Kennedy moved to Japan

in 2009 and nished the 2010 season as the J.League joint top scorer before

again nishing on top of the leagues scoring charts one year later.

Kennedy appeared twice for Australia at the 2010 World Cup but missed the

2011 AFC Asian Cup due to a back injury.

T

KEY PLAYERS

HEAD COACH

Holger Osieck, who was assistantto Franz Beckenbauer when

Germany won the 1990 FIFA WorldCup, was appointed Australia coach inAugust 2010 and led the Socceroos tothe 2011 AFC Asian Cup nal.

In his native Germany, Osieck playedfor Schalke 04, Eintracht Gelsenkirchen,SSV Hagen, FC Mlheim and FCBocholt, although he never played inthe top-ight Bundesliga. Followinghis retirement, Osieck worked underBeckenbauer before spells as managerof Germanys VfL Bochum, Fenerbahein Turkey and Urawa Reds in Japan.

He returned to Canada in 1999after ending his playing career withVancouver Whitecaps to guide thenational team to victory in the 2000CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Osieck worked for FIFA between2004 and 2006 as chief of their technicaldepartment before returning to Urawa in2007 and leading the J.League side tothe AFC Champions League title.

He left Saitama in March 2008following a poor start to the newdomestic season before succeedingPim Verbeek as Australia head coachprior to the 2011 AFC Asian Cup.

H

Holger Osieck

Josh Kennedy

im Cahill will be forever etched in Australias FIFA World Cup history after

becoming the rst Australian player to score at the nals following his opening

goal against Japan in Germany 2006.

A boxtobox player with amazing aerial ability, Cahill had only made his Australia

debut two years earlier following changes to FIFA eligibility rules after he featured

for Samoa in a youth tournament.

Cahill helped Millwall reach the English FA Cup nal in 2004 before joining

Premier League side Everton and would go on to establish himself as a cult hero

for the Toffees as well as Australia.

After featuring in all three games in Germany, Cahill fought off injury to help

Australia reach the quarter-nals of the 2007 AFC Asian Cup.

He was again central as Australia qualied for the 2010 FIFA World Cup nals

and scored against Serbia.


20/31

IRAQS SUCCESS AT THE AFC ASIAN CUP IN 2007 WAS

EXPECTED TO SEE THE MIDDLE EASTERN NATION

LAUNCH A SERIOUS CHALLENGE FOR A PLACE ATTHE FIFA WORLD CUP, BUT TIME IS RUNNING OUT

FOR THE VETERANS OF THE NATIONS GOLDEN

GENERATION

IRAQ

ver since scaling the heights of their AFC Asian Cupsuccess in 2007, the clock has been ticking for Iraq

as the desire to notch up another appearance at the FIFAWorld Cup finals becomes increasingly frantic.

Victory over Saudi Arabia in Jakarta in 2007 deliveredthe countrys first-ever continental championship andmade headlines across the world as the war-ravaged nation

was heralded for triumphing over adversity.Despite the well documented issues at home, Iraq have,

throughout the last decade, excelled at many levels in Asiancompetitions, winning the AFC Under 19 Championship in2000, reaching the semifinals of the Olympic Games in2004 and winning the AFC Asian Cup three years later.But the one achievement that is missing from the resume

of the current squad is an appearance at the FIFA WorldCup finals. And, as age steadily catches up with the AFCAsian Cup winning generation, the time to deliver on the

decade of promise is running out.Iraq have qualified for the FIFA World Cup once

before, reaching the finals in Mexico in 1986 followinga playoff win over Syria to join Korea Republic as Asiasrepresentatives at the tournament, where they lost all threematches against Paraguay, Belgium and the hosts.

That qualification came during a rich vein of form forthe Iraqis, which saw them dominate the game in the Gulfalongside great rivals Kuwait. The two nations alternated

victories in the Gulf Cup tournament, with Iraq claimingthe title in 1979, 1984 and 1988.

After a relatively fal low period during the 1990s largelydue to the problems created in the nation in the aftermathof the Gulf War Iraqi football witnessed a resurgence atthe turn of the millennium, kick started by the countrys

win at the AFC Under 19 Championship in Iran.A 16-year-old Nashat Akram featured alongside the likes

E


21/31

41

41

A run to the quarterfinals of the AFCAsian Cup finals in Qatar in 2011 whenthey lost in extra time in a pulsating clash

with Australia saw Iraqs defence of theircontinental title come to an end, and nowall eyes are focused on finally booking that

FIFA World Cup berth.Wolfgang Sidka, who coached the team

during the AFC Asian Cup, steered the teaminto the third round of qualifying before

being replaced by former Japan coach Zicoin the days before their first game againstJordan.

A loss at the hands of the Adnan Hamad-coached Jordanians was soon forgottenthanks to a comfortable win over Singaporeand back-to-back wins over China, both of

which came thanks to solitary strikes byMahmood.

Victory againstJordan in theirreturn fixture anda comprehensive7-1 demolition ofthe Singaporeanssealed top spot inthe group for the

Iraqis, leaving them

in fine fettle goinginto the final roundof qualifying.

Its nowimportant to workand work and work ,said Zico followingthe draw, which

has pit Iraq agai nstJapan, Australia,Oman and Jordan.The problem for

Iraq is that thelast two games are

against Japan and Australia in Australiaand thats difficult.

Our team has a lot of good experiencebut now the team is more of a group, notlike individuals. Im very happy now becausethe problem is that before we didnt havetime before to prepare.

of Emad Mohammad and goalkeeper NoorSabri in a team that would go on to formthe core of the national team for the nextdecade and more.

The addition of the goal scoring talentsof Younus Mahmood added increasedpotency to the teamthat went on torepresent Iraq at theOlympic Games four

years later.The qualifying

tournament for theFIFA World Cupfinals in Germany in2006 came too earlyfor this young bandof players, who fellin the penultimateround to Uzbekistan.By the time the AFC

Asian Cup had comearound, though, the

Iraqis were ready tospring one of thegreatest surprisesin the history ofthe continentalchampionship, seeingoff Australia, Vietnam and Korea Republicon the way to the title.

An appearance at the FIFA World Cup inSouth Africa was the next target set for the

Iraqis, but a controversial loss against Qatarin the penultimate round of qualifyingended those hopes.

Every touch of technical mastery adds to

a beautiful harmony of comfort and design.

Washle t Fu nctio n Au to O pe n and Clo seStick-type

Remote Control S of t L ig ht in g A ut om at ic Fl us h


22/31

43

Nashat Akram

entral midelder Nashat Akram has been the heart and soul of the Iraq team

throughout much of the last decade.

He won the AFC Under 19 Championship in Iran in 2000 under coach Adnan

Hamad before going on to be one of the key players in Iraqs run to the seminals

of the football tournament at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

From there he established himself as the fulcrum of the national side and it was

his drive and creativity from the middle that pushed Iraq towards victory at the

nals of the AFC Asian Cup in 2007.

Like many of his compatriots, Akram is well-travelled and is one of only a handful

of Middle Eastern players to have played professionally in Europe, including a stint

with FC Twente in the Netherlands, where he was part of the clubs Eredivisie-

winning squad in 2010.

C

raqs captain Younus Mahmood is one of the most recognisable faces in Asian

football with the veteran strikers most famous moment coming in the nal

of the AFC Asian Cup in 2007, when he scored the winning goal against Saudi

Arabia.

Mahmood, however, has been scoring regularly for club and country throughoutthe last decade and his consistent form in front of goal makes him one of the

most feared marksmen in the Asian game.

A key member of the squad that reached the seminals of the Olympic Games

in 2004, Mahmoods goals have been responsible for steering Iraq towards

the upper end of the continental scene and his six strikes in ve games were

responsible for Iraq reaching the nal phase of qualifying for Brazil 2014.

Despite being linked with a move to Europe on numerous occasions and in

particular in the aftermath of the AFC Asian Cup victory Mahmood has played

most of his professional career in Qatar, where he is currently employed by Al

Wakrah after a fruitful ve-year stint with Al Gharafa.

I

KEY PLAYERS

HEAD COACH

razilian legend Zico took overas Iraq coach in August 2011,

just days ahead of the country sopening clash in the third phase ofqualifying for the FIFA World Cupfinals.

The 59-year-old, who representedhis nation as a player at the FIFAWorld Cup in 1978, 1982 and 1986,

is no stranger to the Asian scene,having famously steered Japan tothe AFC Asian Cup title in 2004 andto the finals of the FIFA World Cupin 2006.

Since then he has workedthroughout Europe and Asia. He ledTurkish side Fenerbahce into theUEFA Champions League, guidingthe team to the quarterfinals in 2008before taking the reins at Bunyodkorin Uzbekistan.

Stints at CSKA Moscow andOlympiakos followed before he

joined Iraq as a replacem ent forWolfgang Sidka, whose contractwas not renewed.

BZico

Younus Mahmood

http://www.toyota-global.com/events/sports_sponsorship/soccer/http://www.toyota-global.com/events/sports_sponsorship/soccer/

oyota Motor Corporation is the official sponsor of


23/31

ADNAN HAMEDS SIDE ARE SEEKING TO CONTINUE

A RISE TO THE UPPER LEVEL OF ASIAN FOOTBALL

THAT HAS BEEN AS QUICK AS IT HAS BEENIMPRESSIVE

JORDAN

n less than a decade, Jordans national football teamhas gone from being on the periphery of the Asian

game to harbouring genuine hopes of qualifying for thecountrys first ever appearance at the FIFA World Cupfinals.Progressing to the final phase of Asias qualifying

tournament for Brazil 2014 underlines the improvementsmade by a national team that has built on the success ofthe countrys clubs in the AFC Cup and which is lookingat establishing itself among the regional elite.It was not always the case for Jordan, however. The

country qualified for the AFC Asian Cup finals for the

first time back in 2004, a success that had the entirenation on the edge of its seat.Led by Egyptian coach Mahmoud El Gohary, the work

in the early part of the decade laid the foundations forthe current standing of Jordanian football as the teamreached the quarterfinals, eliminated only on penalties byeventual winners Japan.

Club sides, too, started to taste success at continentallevel. Al Faisaly, from the capital Amman, won the AFCCup tournament in 2005 before retaining the title 12months later, with current national team boss Adnan

Hamad at the helm.

I


24/31

47

opinion. We changed many ideas for theplayers and we put the challenge into theplayers heads.Hamad led a turnaround that not only

took the team to the finals of the AFCAsian Cup in Qatar and their run ended

in the quarterfinals again, this time at thehands of Uzbekistan.

But, where the 2004 teams progressstalled, Hamad has overseen a continuationin the current squads development.

The Jordanians reached the final phaseof Asias qualifying tournament for the

2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil byseeing off the challenge of China andSingapore to qualify from Group A of thethird round alongside Iraq.

And the team that Hamad has builtfeatures a fine balance of youth and

experience.Goalkeeper Amer

Shafia remainsfrom the squad thatcaused such a stirat the AFC AsianCup in 2004, asdoes captain Bashar

Bani Yaseen and hisdeputy, midfielderAmer Deeb.Members of the

youth team thatfeatured in Canadain 2007 have alsomanage to stakea claim to a placein the squad, withdefender MohammadAl Dmeiri, mid-fielders Baha Abdul

Rahman and RaedAl Nawateer as well

as prolific forward Abdallah Deeb amongthose regularly chosen.Hamads team is a robust side that also

features pace and an impressive strikeforce in Deeb and Odai Al Saify, one ofthe first Jordanians to play professionallyoverseas.

Additionally, there was success atyouth level with the countrys youngstersqualifying for the FIFA U20 World Cup inCanada, the first time any team from thecountry had qualified for the finals of a

FIFA tournament.Failure to reach the

AFC Asian Cup finalsin South East Asiain 2007, however,saw Jordanstale of continualimprovement stalland, with thecountry missing outon a place in the finalphase of qualifyingfor the 2010 FIFA

World Cup, coachNelo Vingada wasreplaced.In his place came

Hamad, who provedto be the final piecein the puzzle as theJordanians rapidlymade up for losttime.

I just tried togive them more confidence because this is

very important in the team, said Hamadof the work he did to lift the fortunes ofthe team upon his arrival as national teamcoach.

The team needs to be like a family,you need that in a football team in my


25/31

49

HEAD COACH

dnan Hamads career has seenthe Iraq-born tactician hailed

as one of the most talented coachesworking on the continental scene, witha track record that surpasses many ofhis higher prole peers.

The 51-year-old has overseen arapid improvement in the fortunes ofthe Jordan national team since he tookover following the countrys failure to

reach the nal phase of qualifying forthe 2010 FIFA World Cup nals.

Hamads track record by that stagewas already impressive and he cameto continental prominence by takingIraq to the semi-nals of the OlympicGames in Athens in 2004.

The rst of Hamads signicantachievements came in 2000, whenhe guided Iraqs Under 19 team to theAFC U-19 Championship, and thatside formed the core of the team thatreached the last four of the Olympicsin 2004, a feat that earned him thetitle of AFC Coach of the Year.

Hamads career was to take another turnin 2006 when he signed up with JordansAl Faisaly and he won the AFC Cup title inhis rst season in charge.

AAdnan Hamad

Abdallah Deeb

raduate of the side that represented Jordan at the FIFA U-20 World Cup inCanada in 2007, Abdallah Deeb carries the countrys main goal threat as

the Jordanians seek to qualify for their rst ever FIFA World Cup nals.Presently in his second stint with Al Wehdat in the Jordanian league, Deebs

performances convinced Belgian side KV Mechelen to sign him for a season in2009.

Deeb started his career with Al Wehdat before joining Al Riffa club in Bahrainand then returning home for sign for Shabab Al Ordon prior to his one-seasonstint in Belgium.

A return to Shabab Al Ordon was followed by a move to Al Wehdat for the25-year-old while his contributions in front of goal for the national team havecontinued unabated.

G

KEY PLAYERSOdai Al Saify

dai Al Saify has risen to prominence as one of Jordans key players sincegraduating to the full national team after a successful stint with the countrys

under-23 side.The shaven-headed front man became the rst Jordanian to play in Europe when

he signed for Greek side Skoda Xanthi before spenting a season on loan in Cypruswith Alki Larnaca.

Currently on the books of Kuwaiti club Al Salmiya, Al Saify is the talisman of theJordanian side and his pace and movement have contributed to much of the nationalteams success, even if he has a limited goals return.

The 26-year-old can also operate as a winger or in mideld, where his passing andvision can cause the opposition considerable difculties.

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OMAN HAVE BOOKED A PLACE IN THE FINAL

PHASE OF QUALIFYING FOR THE FIFA WORLD

CUP FOR ONLY THE SECOND TIME IN THEIRHISTORY. CAN ALI AL HABSI AND HIS TEAM

SPRING A SURPRISE AND QUALIFY FOR BRAZIL

2014?

OMAN

ts not so long ago Oman were among the whipping boys ofAsian football: last place finishes in regional competitions

were the norm right up until the late 1990s.But, over the last decade, Oman have established themselves

among the leading nations of the Middle East, progressing tothe final round of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup for thesecond time in their history while producing one of Asianfootballs most outstanding individual players.

The performances of goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi in the EnglishPremier League with Wigan Athletic have highlighted footballin Oman and the former Bolton Wanderers custodian hasplayed a major role in his nations rise to prominence.

Oman, though, have not always been able to boast world

class individuals and impressive results against Asias finest. The countrys first appearance in the latter stages of

qualifying for the FIFA World Cup came in the tournamentto decide the participants for the 2002 finals in South Koreaand Japan.

Then, the Milan Macala-coached team finished bottom oftheir group but gained invaluable experience for the futureand, two years later,they were mixing it with the continents

best again at the AFC Asian Cup finals in China. Fired by the goal scoring of Hani Al Dhabit and the

emerging talents of goalkeeper Al Habsi, Oman threatenedto muscle in on the established order.

A runners-up finish at the 2003 Gulf Cup and an

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52 53

of the Gulf Cup.Following Le Roys departure, the Oman

Football Association chose another Frenchcoach to follow with former Lyon and

Rangers manager Paul Le Guen appointed tothe post.

I want to make a team with a good mixof experienced and young players, said the48-year-old soon after his appointment.There are reserves who deserve to be givena chance. They are ready to replace those

who are not performing. Le Guen was thrust into the midst of

qualifying for the FIFA World Cup finalsalmost immediately seeing off Myanmar toreach the third phase of the competition.

Drawn against Saudi Arabia, Australia andThailand in the third round of qualifying,Omans hopes of progressing to the final

phase were seen asremote and thoseperceptionschangedlittle after the firstthree matches when

Le Guens side pickedup just one point

via a scoreless drawwith Saudi Arabia at

home. That point,

however, was to provecrucial as, despitemounting pressure,the OFA decided tostick with Le Guen.

It was a decision thatwas to prove decisiveas the French coachsteered his team to asurprise 1-0 win overAustralia courtesy ofa 18th minute goal

from Amad Al Hosni.The win over the Socceroos was to prove

the catalyst to Omans progress. It wasfollowed by another draw with the Saudisand a 2-0 win over Thailand that ensured LeGuen and his team advanced at the expenseof Saudi Arabia.

pearance at the 2004 AFC Asian Cupderlined the improvements made whileee years later they again reached the Gulfp final and this time lost out to hosts theited Arab Emirates 1-0.That loss brought to an end Macalasond stint at them of the team and

Czech coachsparture waspected, in somearters, to bringh it a decline in thems performanced Oman dulyuggled at the AFCan Cup later the

me year.But, after a periodeadjustment underude Le Roy, theanis took the finalp towards regionalcess, beating Saudibia on penalties in2009 final of thef Cup to finallycrowned winners

arguably the mostnly-contested tournament in the Arabrld.The fickle nature of football, however, hitme a year later for both Oman and theirnch coach as Le Roy saw his contractminated as the defending championssed out on a place in the knockoutphase

HEAD COACH

aul Le Guen was appointedOman coach in June 2011 and

he has built on the success of hispredecessors to take the team intothe nal phase of qualifying for the2014 FIFA World Cup.

Le Guen made his name as headcoach of Lyon, steering the club tothree consecutive Ligue 1 titles inFrance and to the quarternals of the

UEFA Champions League.He stood down at the end of the

2004/05 season and took time offfrom the game despite approachesfrom some leading European clubs.

After a disappointing stint atScottish giants Rangers, he spenttwo-and-a-half seasons with ParisSaint Germain and he reestablishedhis standing within the coachingworld, winning the French LeagueCup in 2008 as well as taking PSG tothe nal of the French Cup.

His time at PSG was followed bya move to Cameroon, steering thecountry to the nals of the 2010 FIFAWorld Cup nals before taking over asOman coach in June 2011, replacingcompatriot Claude Le Roy.

PPaul Le Guen

Ali Al Habsi

mans most famous football export, Ali Al Habsi has established himself as one

of Asian footballs highest prole players thanks to his exploits in the English

Premier League with Wigan Athletic.A former part-time reman, Al Habsi played a key role in ensuring Wigan maintained

their status in the Premier League this season having blossomed into one of the best

keepers in England since his move to the club from Bolton Wanderers in 2010.

Discovered by former Oman goalkeeper coach John Burridge, Al Habsi has been

an ever-present for his national side throughout most of the last decade and on his

last visit to Japan saved a penalty from Shunsuke Nakamura in a game Japan went

on to win 1-0.

Al Habsi played every minute during the third round of qualiers for the 2014 FIFA

World Cup, keeping four clean sheets in six games.

O

Amad Al Hosni

mad Al Hosni has taken over from the prolic Hani Al Dhabit as the sharp

edge of Omans attack.

The well-travelled 27-year-old striker started his career with Al Khaburah

before stints in Saudi Arabia with Al Riyadh and Qatar with Qatar Sports Club

and Al Rayyan.

Al Hosni was the top scorer at the 2004 Gulf Cup and ve years later, played a

central role as Oman won the title.

Goals followed Al Hosni wherever he went, earning hi m a move to Belgian club

Charleroi, but within a year he had moved back to the Middle East, signing for Al

Rayyan before moving to Jeddah-based Al Ahli.

And Al Hosni scored 15 goals in 22 appearances as Al Ahli nished as runners-

up in the 2011/12 Saudi League season.

A

KEY PLAYERS


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JAPAN ARE CHASING A FIFTH STRAIGHT

APPEARANCE AT THE FIFA WORLD CUP FINALS

TO GO ALONGSIDE THEIR RECORD FOURTH AFCASIAN CUP TITLE AND ALBERTO ZACCHERONIS

SQUAD WILL BE AMONG THE FAVOURITES TO

ADVANCE TO BRAZIL 2014

JAPAN

wo years ago, prior to boarding the plane to Europe andtheir final preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals

in South Africa, Japanese football was in the doldrums.A series of lacklustre performances, capped by a

comprehensive 3-0 loss at the hands of a Park Ji-sung-inspired Korea Republic at Saitama Stadium, more than hintedtowards a short sojourn in South Africa for Takeshi Okada and

his team.That the Japanese progressed to the Round of 16 and were

a penalty shootout against Paraguay away from a place in thequarterfinals for the first time in their history came not onlyas a surprise, but served to give the Japan national team a

much-needed shot in the arm.Football in the post-2010 World Cup Japan is an

altogether different proposition in comparison to theissues that haunted the sport in the country ahead of thetournament.

The appointment of Alberto Zaccheroni might have comeas a surprise amid speculation linking a number of Spanishcandidates with the post, but the Italian has built on thepositive atmosphere that permeated Japanese football in theaftermath of South Africa.Little more than six months after Japans return from the

World Cup, Zaccheroni despite only taking charge of the

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57

have good preparation every time we have agame. Thats the most important.

The continuing success of Japanesefootball has seen Zaccheronis task growincreasingly difficult with the coach requiredto pull together a team that now features a

significant number of players scattered acrossEurope.

The English Premier League, the Bundesliga,Serie A and the leagues of the Netherlandsand Belgium are among those that nowfeature members of Japans national teamsquad, a far cry from when Japan appeared

at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France.Back then, as debutants at the tournament,

Japans entire squad was playing in theJ.League.

And despite the dispersion of the squad aroundEurope and beyond, Zaccheroni continues to

scour J.League sidesthe length and breadthof the country for freshtalent to add to histeam.

As a result of thegrowing overseascontingent and theJ.League increasinginternational profile,there is little leftunknown about theJapanese but theformer AC Milan andJuventus coach is notconcerned about the

high profile of hissquad.

It doesnt botherme that our opponents

know us, Zaccheronisaid. I will study ouropponents to find out

as much as they know about us.The teams in this round are the top 10 in

Asia. We respect our opponents and will work onour preparation for the games against them.

Our final objective is to play well in theWorld Cup. Whoever comes to play us, theimportant thing is to play our own game.

squad in October 2010 and playing just twofriendly matches claimed a record fourthAFC Asian Cup title for the country.

Zaccheronis team overcame a numberof injuries including to star playmakerShinji Kagawa and suspensions to seeoff Korea Republicin the semifinalsand Australia in thefinal in Qatar as anew generation ofJapanese footballers

wrote their names intothe history books.Now, the Italian is

ready to continue thework he started sowell by taking Japanto another FIFA WorldCup.

Now, I feel like astudent before myfinal exam; afterstudying hard and

well, all you need todo is take the exam,Zaccheroni said afterthe draw for the finalround of qualifying in

Kuala Lumpur in March.I have a full faith in our players. I know

they are ready mentally and they have thespirit to fight in the qualifiers and go to thefinals.

All we need to do is have good preparationregarding fitness and make sure the players


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Shinji Kagawa

hinji Kagawa has blossomed into one of Asian footballs highest prole

and most successful overseas-based players since his move from Cerezo

Osaka to Borussia Dortmund, where he has played a key role in the clubs back-

to-back Bundesliga championship wins in the last two seasons.

The 23-year-old became Japans most successful football export in front of

goal during the 2011/12 season, scoring 13 times for Dortmund in the league,

and he brings a similar potency to the attack of the national side.

At the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, Kagawa scored twice in the thrilling quarter-nal

win over hosts Qatar but fractured the fth metatarsal in his right foot in the

semi-nal success over Korea Republic and missed the nal.

S

KEY PLAYERS

HEAD COACH

hen former Juventus andAC Milan manager AlbertoZaccheroni was named Japan

head coach, the announcement cameas a surprise.

But the 59-year-old, who had neverpreviously worked outside his nativetaly, put any reservations behind him

quickly as he steered Japan to anunprecedented fourth AFC Asian Cup

itle in Qatar in January 2011, justmonths after his appointment.

Zaccheroni, who won the Serie Aitle in 1999 with Milan, overhauledhe squad Okada had taken to the

FIFA World Cup nals in South Africa,ntroducing a new style of play andregularly scouting J.League clubs theength and breadth of the country ashe sought out untried talent.

His fresh approach has invigoratedhe Japan team and qualication forhe nal phase of Asias qualifyingournament for the 2014 FIFA World

Cup nals was achieved with twogames to spare, allowing the coachhe opportunity to further experiment

with his team.

W

Alberto Zaccheroni

Makoto Hasebe

ormer Urawa Reds midelder Makoto Hasebe played a key role in Japans

success at the AFC Asian Cup nals in Qatar at the start of 2011 as the V

Wolfsburg midelder put in a series of commanding displays to steer the countryto a record fourth continental crown.

A winner of the AFC Champions League in 2007 during his time with Urawa,

Hasebe - whose slick passing and reading of the game see him operate at the

heart of Japans mideld - became the rst Japanese player to win the Bundesliga

title when he was a regular member in the V Wolfsburg squad that was crowned

German champions in 2009.

Hasebe started every game during the third round of qualiers for the 2014

FIFA World Cup, a feat he also achieved in Qatar at the start of 2011.

F

I AM EASY FOR EVERYONE


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