Turkmenistan snatch draw

Published July 19, 2004

BEIJING, July 18: Turkmenistan snatched a dramatic 2-2 draw against three-time champions Saudi Arabia, while Iraq were beaten 1-0 by Uzbekistan at the Asian Cup on Sunday. Qatar were upset 2-1 by Indonesia.

Saudi Arabia were denied three points in Chengdu by a stoppage-time free kick from Begench muhammed Kuliyev. A goal down to a sixth-minute header from Nazar Bayramov, Saudi struck back soon through a Yasser Al Qahtani penalty. When Al Qahtani scored with a looping header soon after it looked as if Saudi Arabia had survived against the former Soviet republic.

But in stoppage time, Kuliyev curled a free kick into the bottom corner to secure a point for debutants Turkmenistan. Uzbekistan's winner came through Mirdjalal Kasimov in the 22nd minute. Indonesian scorers were Budi Sudarsono and Ponaryo Astaman. -Reuters

Opinion

Editorial

Doctor attacked
09 Jun, 2026

Doctor attacked

AN act of reprehensible violence has shaken the medical community. On Saturday, an employee of the Provincial Civil...
AJK flare-up
Updated 09 Jun, 2026

AJK flare-up

The situation started deteriorating after a trader affiliated with the JAAC was reportedly shot in an altercation with law-enforcers.
Fault lines
09 Jun, 2026

Fault lines

THE April 8 ceasefire that halted hostilities between Israel and Iran has encountered its most serious test yet....
Soft on traders
08 Jun, 2026

Soft on traders

THE Fixed Tax Asaan Scheme for traders with an annual turnover of up to Rs200m has been designed as a ‘pragmatic...
Ceasefire in name
Updated 08 Jun, 2026

Ceasefire in name

Both sides accuse the other of violating the truce that was supposed to halt the conflict in April, yet neither appears willing to abandon negotiations altogether.
Damaged childhoods
08 Jun, 2026

Damaged childhoods

CHILD abuse is so prevalent that the UN ranked Pakistan as the least safe country for children. Even so, more than...