After scoring a brace in their 7-0 win against Singapore on the penultimate matchday, Lee Kang-in once again proved to be pivotal for Kim Do-hoon’s Korea Republic side as they closed out their second round campaign unbeaten with a 1-0 win against China PR at the Seoul World Cup Stadium.

 

The Koreans had struggled to find a way through the Chinese defence despite dominating possession and chances, but Paris Saint-Germain attacking midfielder Lee started and finished off an attack in the 61st minute for the game’s only goal and took his tally to four goals and three assists in six matches in Group C. 

Having previously made just one appearance for Australia in the qualification campaign due to injury, Martin Boyle produced an impressive display, bagging a goal and two assists, as Graham Arnold’s men brought down the curtains on their second round campaign in style with a 5-0 defeat of Palestine.

 

The Scottish-born winger provided two clever assists for Adam Taggart and Kusini Yengi to score for the Socceroos in the first half before the 31-year-old grabbed one for himself, tapping home a Taggart cross in the 53rd minute, as Australia eased into the third round in the hopes of making it to a sixth straight FIFA World Cup. 

Delivering for Indonesia on a historic night in front of a vociferous crowd at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium was Thom Haye who scored his maiden international goal to send Tim Garuda on their way to a 2-0 win against the Philippines which sealed their berth in the third round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers for the very first time while also confirming back-to-back AFC Asian Cup appearances.

The Dutch-born midfielder, who marked his international debut in March’s qualifiers tie against Vietnam with an assist, found himself with plenty of space outside the box and let fly a shot which curled beyond the reach of Philippines goalkeeper Kevin Mendoza and broke the deadlock for Shin Tae-yong’s side in the 32nd minute. 

DPR Korea went into their final outing in third place, sitting behind Japan and Syria in Group B, but knowing that a win against Myanmar at the Laos National Stadium in Vientiane would help them enter the third round. And it was the poaching instincts of Ri Jo Guk that helped the Chollima cross the line.

 

After Ri Il Song’s opener 12 minutes in, Ri Jo Guk doubled the lead five minutes later before he picked up a loose ball and slotted home his second of the evening just before the interval. His hat-trick came from the penalty spot in the 87th minute and concluded a good day at the office for the 22-year-old striker. 

Lebanon’s fate in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers was decided before Matchday Five, but that did not stop them and their captain Hassan Maatouk from signing off in style in his farewell international match as the 36-year-old’s treble helped them secure a 4-0 win against Bangladesh in Al Rayyan.

 

Maatouk found the breakthrough by slotting home a spot-kick as early as the fifth minute before the veteran netted early in the second half to make it 3-0. The skipper completed his hat-trick at the stroke of the hour mark as he finished off a counterattack to hand the Cedars their first victory of the second round. 

Jordan and Saudi Arabia battled for the top spot in Group G on the final matchday, and it was Noor Al Rawabdeh who proved to be the man of the moment, scoring the decisive winner that helped the Jordanians pip the Saudis to the top spot on goal difference.

 

It was the Green Falcons who opened the scoring through Ali Lajami in Riyadh, but Ali Olwan equalised for the visitors in the 27th minute. Al Rawabdeh then ran onto a loose ball just outside the area and hit it first time and his shot nestled into the back of the net after taking a deflection off Musab Al Juwayr in the first-half added time for the winner. 

It was an exciting conclusion to the proceedings in Group A with India, Afghanistan and Kuwait in contention to book a place in the third round on the final matchday. But it was the latter who sealed their progress as an Eid Al Rashedi goal gave them a 1-0 win against the Afghans while India lost 2-1 to group winners Qatar.

 

It took Kuwait 81 minutes to find the all-important goal against Ashley Westwood's side when 25-year-old midfielder Al Rashedi came off the bench to score from a Mohammad Daham assist and confirm a place in the AFC Asian Cup for Rui Bento’s side who finished two points above India and Afghanistan. 

Nepal were unfortunate to not wrap up their campaign with a historic win after Yemen equalised through Mohammed Al Dahi in the 91st minute to salvage a 2-2 draw. But Vincenzo Annese’s side still had plenty of positives to take from the result, including the display of their 22-year-old striker Sanjeeb Bista.

 

After going behind, Bista latched onto Radhawan Al Hubaishi’s misplaced back pass and restored parity in the 22nd minute with his maiden international goal before his cross was headed in by Gillespye Jung Karki for their second in the 66th minute.