AGENCIES
Suwon, South Korea
Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-Min struck the winner as South Korea followed Japan in recording late victories at home in 2018 AFC World Cup qualifying on Thursday night.
The Koreans trailed Qatar 2-1 in Suwon in Group A before firing two goals in two second-half minutes to win 3-2, despite being reduced to 10 men after Hong Jeong-Ho's 66th minute red card. Son's go-ahead goal came in the 58th minute when he curled in a right-footed shot from the left-hand side of the box, two minutes after Ji Dong-Won had equalised for the home side. Swansea midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng had opened the scoring in the 11th minute. It maintained the unbeaten record of South Korea, who now have two wins and a draw from their opening three matches in the final qualification round.
In Saitama, the Japanese had to rely on a 95th-minute winner from Hotaru Yamaguchi as they prevailed 2-1 against Iraq in Group B. With Borussia Dortmund forward Shinji Kagawa left on the bench, Japan appeared to be heading for a regulation victory when Genki Haraguchi flicked home in the 25th minute to give them a 1-0 half-time lead. But the unfancied Iraqis turned the match on its head in the 60th minute after Saad Abdul Amir's headed goal from a free kick.
And the 2007 Asian champions looked set to hold on, and even pushed for a second goal after a series of corners. But, with six minutes of stoppage time added, Japan broke Iraqi hearts after a free kick was awarded near the left corner flag. Hiroshi Kiyotake curled in his set piece, which was volleyed home by substitute Yamaguchi at the top of the box. It was an important first home victory of this phase of the campaign for the Samurai Blue, who slipped up against United Arab Emirates on Sept 1.
The chances of China qualifying for their first World Cup since 2002 took a massive hit after they suffered a shock 1-0 loss to Asian minnows Syria in Xi'an. The only goal of the game came in the 54th minute through midfielder Mahmoud Al Mawas, who capitalised on a defensive mix up, after smart lead-up work from captain Abdelrazaq Al Hussain. The result leaves the Chinese on a dismal one point from three Group A matches, two of them at home.
RESULTS
Group A: South Korea 3 (Ki Sung-Yueng 11, Ji Dong-Won 56, Son Heung-Min 58) Qatar 2 (Hassan Al Haydos 16-pen, Sebastian Soria 45)
Group B: Japan 2 (Haraguchi 26, Yamaguchi 90+5) Iraq 1 (Luaibi 60)
Group A: China 0 Syria 1 (Al Mawas 54)
