RIYADH, Feb 7: The big hitters of Asian football got their 2010 World Cup qualifying campaigns off to a flying start on Wednesday securing convincing wins.

However, there were sluggish starts for two of the top Gulf teams, with Iran held to a disappointing goalless draw with part-timers Syria and Asian Cup holders Iraq sharing the points in their home Group One match with China.

Saudi Arabia set the pace in Group Five after beating Singapore 2-0 in Riyadh.

Asian player of the year Yasser Al Qahtani gave four-time World Cup qualifiers Saudi Arabia the lead in the 38th minute against Singapore before Malek Al Hawsawi rounded off the victory nine minutes before the end.

Uzbekistan, in search of a place in their first finals after coming close in the last campaign, beat Lebanon 1-0 in Beirut after Odil Ahmedov put them ahead in the 44th minute.

Three-time Asian Cup winners Iran failed to score for a fifth successive game and were humbled in Tehran by a Syrian team that could not afford to keep their Italian coach, former World Cup winner Antonio Cabrini.

War-torn Iraq failed to use their ‘home’ advantage in Dubai, letting slip their 51st-minute lead from Taher Hawartheir and allowing Charlton Athletic’s Zheng Zhi to equalise with 15 minutes to go.

Iraq lost captain Younis Mahmoud through injury and had playmaker Nashat Akram sent off for a second yellow card.Bahrain, who lost a playoff for a place in the 2006 finals, beat Oman 1-0 in Muscat, with Aala Hubail’s 14th minute goal enough to secure the points for the visitors.

Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) made early headway in Group Five after a convincing 2-0 win over Kuwait in their World Cup qualifier.

The UAE took the lead after 14 minutes through striker Mohamed Al Shehhi and added a second eight minutes after the interval from Faysal Khalel.

The Gulf champions, whose sole appearance at the World Cup finals came 18 years ago, top the all-Middle East group after Iran were held to a goalless draw with Syria.

Earlier on Wednesday, Australia outclassed Qatar 3-0 in Melbourne South Korea outgunned Turkmenistan 4-0 while Japan thrashed Thailand 4-1 in Saitama.

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