18 November 2004	Thursday	05 Shawwal 1425

TOKYO, Nov 17: China suffered a traumatic exit from the Asian 2006 World Cup qualifiers despite trouncing Hong Kong 7-0 in Guangzhou on Wednesday. But 2002 World Cup co-hosts and semifinalists South Korea clinched their place in next year's final round of qualifiers with a nerve-jangling 2-0 home victory over Maldives.

Kuwait thrashed Malaysia 6-1 at home to advance at China's expense in Group Four on goals scored. Kuwait and China finished with 15 points from six matches and the same goal difference and head-to-head record but the Gulf side secured top spot with 15 goals to China's 14.

Shao Jiayi and Li Jinyu both scored twice in Guangzhou but defender Zheng Zhi's second half penalty miss proved costly for China, who made their World Cup finals debut in 2002.

Bashar Abdullah and substitute Faraj Laheeb scored two each as Kuwait took control with five second-half goals. South Korea had been held to a shock 0-0 draw by Maldives in March - a result that cost coach Humberto Coelho his job.

The Indian Ocean islanders made life difficult for South Korea again but midfielder Kim Do-heon broke the deadlock with a brilliant 25-metre strike after 65 minutes in Seoul.

Forward Lee Dong-gook assured the Koreans of top spot in Group Seven when he snatched a second goal in the 79th minute. South Korea, who have qualified for every World Cup since 1986, finished with an unassailable 14 points from six matches.

Among the five teams already through, Japan beat Singapore 1-0 to make it six wins out of six but the Asian champions again failed to impress before a crowd of 59,000 in Saitama.

Striker Keiji Tamada scored from close range in the 13th minute but the Japanese lacked cohesion against a team they struggled to beat 2-1 away in March. Unbeaten Uzbekistan beat Taiwan 6-1 at home to finish five points clear at the top of Group Two with five wins and a draw. Captain Mirdjalal Kasimov, known as the David Beckham of Uzbekistan, scored a superb hat-trick in Tashkent to leave Taiwan without a point in six matches.

RESULTS:

Group Two:

Uzbekistan 6 Taiwan 1

Iraq 4 Palestine 1

Group Three:

Japan 1 Singapore 0

Group Four:

China 7 Hong Kong 0

Kuwait 6 Malaysia 1

Group Five:

Thailand 1 Yemen 1

Group Seven:

South Korea 2 Maldives 0

Indonesia 3 Turkmenistan 1. -AFP