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| April 8, 2006 | Saturday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 9, 1427 |
Kyrgyzstan reach last 8 as Pakistan eliminated
DHAKA, April 7: Kyrgyzstan set a quarterfinal clash with hot favourites Palestine when they emerged Group D runners-up with a 2-0 defeat of Macau in the last group-stage match of the AFC Challenge Cup on Friday, thanks to goals by Roman Ablakimov and Azamat Ishenbaev.
They joined India, Taiwan, Palestine, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Tajikistan in the elimination stage.
Kyrgyzstan ended on six points but their central Asian neighbours Tajikistan, also on six points, finished group winners on the basis of better goal difference. Kyrgyzstan’s victory ended Pakistan’s hopes of making the quarterfinals and the green shirts should blame themselves for early elimination from the contest as they were held to a 2-2 draw by lowly-rated Macau.
A win against Macau would have assured Pakistan a place in the last eight stage.
Luckless Pakistan, who started the show by beating Kyrgyzstan 1-0 on Sunday, finished third in Group-D with four points, followed by Macau (one point).
Both Kyrgyzstan and tiny Macau were playing two matches in as many days and it was difficult to play all out under heave wave conditions.
Kyrgyzstan looked better and Andrey Krasnov failed to score even after going round the keeper in the 25th minute.
Ablakimov, who partnered Krasnov in the attack in absence of Vladimir Verevkin “scorer of the lone goal in the two sides scheduled group clash which was washed out after 31 minutes ' put Kyrgyzstan ahead in the 35th minute.
Ablakimov was under pressure of two defenders but he shrugged off both to beat Macau goalkeeper Hon Ming Chu with a deft side-footed flick from an acute angle after Aibek Bokoev sent a through from the left flank.
The central Asians wasted ample scoring opportunities before Ishenbaev, who came onto the pitch at the break in place of Krasnov, sealed victory in the 58th minute.
The substitute striker got the ball from Bokoev and neatly put a low curler from a tight angle into Hon Ming ChuIs far post.
“We wanted to win this match badly and had planned accordingly,” said Kyrgyzstan coach Boris Podkorytov.
“I am happy that we won comfortably and finished above tricky outfit from Pakistan under fine coaching of a Bahraini who defeated us on 2 April.”
The final seven matches have been rescheduled due to the adverse weather conditions.
The quarterfinals in Dhaka have been put off by a day and now will be played on April 9 and 10.
The dates for the semifinals remain unchanged but the kick-off times at the capital have been brought forward to 3.30pm from 5pm.
In Chittagong, the quarte-final and semifinal dates remain unchanged but the kick-off times have been advanced to 3.30pm.
Quarterfinals:
8 April (Chittagong) Sri Lanka v Taiwan
9 April (Dhaka) Palestine v Kyrgyzstan
9 April (Chittagong) India v Nepal
10 April (Dhaka) Tajikistan v Bangladesh
Semifinals: 12 April Chittagong, 13 April Dhaka
Final: 16 April Dhaka.—Agencies
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