KABUL, Nov 23: Turkmenistan on Sunday secured their place in the Asian preliminary World Cup qualifying competition with two late goals to nil against Afghanistan at Kabul Olympic stadium.

Afghanistan, playing in red and white, were in far better form for their return game before an enthusiastic home crowd than in their disastrous showing in Turkmenistan on Wednesday.

Despite their 0-2 loss, Afghan coach Hamayon Kargar was pleased with his inexperienced side’s showing against the Turkmens, who had trounced them 11-0 in Ashqabad earlier in the week.

“There ... all our players were tired after the long journey and they didn’t have enough time in Turkmenistan before the match,” Kargar told AFP.

“Here in Kabul our team played very well and we were playing almost equal but in the last five minutes Turkmenistan scored two goals and the game ended 2-0 to Turkmenistan.”

With their victory Turkmenistan, now ranked 122, advance to the 32-team Asian preliminary World Cup qualifying competition.

Afghanistan are ranked 198 out of 204 FIFA sides and just above 201 ranked Guam at the bottom of the Asian Football Confederation.

Afghanistan has a long love of football but years of war have devastated the game here.

The Afghanistan Football Federation was formed in 1933 and affiliated with world governing body FIFA in 1948. The Central Asian nation was also a founding member of the Asian Football Confederation but the game has been in disarray during the past two decades of conflict.

The Afghan federation was only re-established in 2002, months after the fall of the Taliban, who banned most sports and entertainment.

Sunday’s match was played at the stadium which the Taliban used for public executions and mutilations until the hardline militia was toppled two years ago.

Afghanistan returned to international competition at the 2002 Asian Games in South Korea but suffered defeats against Iran, Qatar and Lebanon.—AFP