July 12, 2007	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Sani 26, 1428

JAKARTA, July 11: South Korea and Saudi Arabia battled out a 1-1 draw in their opening Asian Cup Group D match after the game was halted for 20 minutes due to a power failure on Wednesday.

Following a cagey first half, Korea took the lead though Choi Sung-kuk in the 66th minute, the diminutive winger somehow rising high enough to nod home Oh Beom-sok’s cross.

Saudi Arabia levelled with a controversial penalty 10 minutes later when Malek Mazz went down in the box. Yasser Al Qahtani stepped up to score from the spot.

The game was suspended with five minutes remaining after the lights went out at Gekora Bung Karno Stadium, leaving the players to wander aimlessly around the pitch for 20 minutes.The play restarted when the floodlights were restored though most of the stadium remained in darkness.

The result left Indonesia at the top of Group D following the co-hosts’ 2-1 win over Bahrain on Tuesday.

Earlier on Wednesday, substitute Javad Kazemian struck in the 77th minute to give Iran a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Uzbekistan in their Asian Cup Group C match in Kuala Lumpur.

The 26-year-old rescued a largely disappointing Iran side, who struggled to find their rhythm against the combative Central Asians.

Uzbekistan, with main striker Maksim Shatskikh suspended, took the lead on 15 minutes through an own goal by Iran defender Rahman Rezaei.

Iran levelled in the 55th minute when Seyed Jalal Hosseini scored from a corner before Kazemian emerged as the hero.

The victory put Iran in second place in Group C behind China, who beat hosts Malaysia 5-1 on Tuesday. The top two teams advance to the quarter-finals.

With both teams playing cautiously, Uzbekistan took an unlikely lead. Captain Server Djeparov sent a high ball forward trying to find striker Ulugbek Bakaev.

Rezaei, under pressure from Bakaev, tried to head back to goal-keeper Hassan Rodbarian but only succeed in finding the back of his own net.

Iran came out more determined in the second half and equalised after captain Mehdi Mahdavikia made his first foray upfield. The skipper sent in a testing corner from the left and defender Hosseini rose high to head past Uzbek goal-keeper Pavel Bugalo.

Kazemian settled it for Iran when he received Andranik Teymourian’s through ball on the edge of the box and drilled it past Bugalo.

Tempers frayed on the sidelines towards the end of the match with Ghalenoei sent to stands by Kuwaiti referee Saad Al Fadhli for apparently throwing a water bottle at the fourth official, though the coach said his anger was directed at one of his players. –Reuters