2011 Asian Cup Qatar - third matches

Group A matches

China head home

Uzbekistan 2 China 2 (January 16)
Uzbekistan held China to a 2-2 draw to top their group as the Chinese suffered an early exit. China took a 6th minute lead when Yu Hai flicked a header in from a corner to beat the keeper at the near post, but Uzbekistan levelled on the half-hour mark when Akhmedov beat the offside trap to knock the ball past the Chinese keeper, and took the lead with a Geynrikh screamer less than a minute into the 2nd half. Hao Jumin equalised for China with a superb free-kick in the 56th minute, but with Qatar winning the other group-match a draw was not enough.

Uzbek keeper Nesterov beaten by Hao Jumin's unstoppable free-kick

Qatar celebrate progress

Qatar 3 Kuwait 0 (January 16)
The hosts Qatar enjoyed a 3-0 win over Kuwait that took them to the next round as Kuwait crashed out of the tournament pointless. Bilal Mohammed rose high to head in a cross in the 11th minute and 5 minutes later Mohamed El Sayed's header from a long ball into the box was blocked by the outstretched arms of the keeper but he picked up the return and found the back of the net to end the game as a contest. Fabio Cesar put the icing on the cake when he curled a free-kick into the top corner to make it 3-0 with 4 minutes remaining.

Group B matches
Samurais slaughter sad Saudis
Japan 5 Saudi Arabia 0 (January 17)
Shinji Okazaki netted a hat-trick as Japan humiliated Saudi Arabia 5-0 to book a quarter-final place in style. Japan opened the scoring in the 8th minute when Okazaki got on the end of a long ball and lifted it over the Saudi keeper for a tap in, and 5 minutes later he flung himself to head in a cross for his second. Maeda made it 3 in the 19th minute when he got to the ball before the keeper to meet a delicious cross from Nagatomo with the outside of his right boot flicking it into the Saudi net. Waleed Abdullah was once again beaten to the ball 6 minutes after the break when Maeda headed in a cross, and with 10 minutes to go Okazaki picked up a short pass from Maeda, skilfully turned in the box and whacked the ball past Abdullah for his hat-trick. Japan will face hosts Qatar in the next round.

Japan bring Waleed Abdullah to his knees for the 5th time

Jordan end Syrian hopes

Jordan 2 Syria 1 (January 17)
Syria's participation in the Asian Cup came to an end after losing 2-1 to Jordan who make it through to the next round. Jordanian keeper Shafi got down to keep out Malki's angled shot in the 15th minute, but Mohamad Al Zino was on hand to knock in the follow up. Syria gifted Jordan an equaliser in the 30th minute when Dyab out-jumped his keeper to head a cross in for an own goal, and despite Syrian dominance, Jordan secured their progress to the next round in the 59th minute when a goal-kick reached Odai who lifted the ball past the onrushing Syrian keeper Balhous. Jordan will meet Uzbekistan in the next round.

Group C matches
South Korea settle for second

South Korea 4 India 1 (January 18)
A 4-1 win against minnows India was enough to take South Korea through behind Australia. In the 6th minute Subrata Paul palmed a cross up for Ji Dong Won to head in and 3 minutes later India failed to deal with a cross resulting in Koo Ja Cheol doubling Korea's lead with ease, but India reduced the deficit in the 12th minute when Sunil Chhetri slotted the ball away from the Korean keeper from the penalty spot. Ji Dong Won claimed his second, picking up a pass from Koo Ja Cheol and dinking the keeper in the 23rd minute, but despite dominating the match South Korea could not add to their tally until 9 minutes from time when Son Heung Min got behind the Indian defense and slammed an angled shot into the roof of the net. South Korea finish behind Australia on goal difference to face Iran and avoid a possible clash with North Korea.

Ji Dong Won dinks Subrata Paul to make it 3

Australia beat Bahrain in the rain

Australia 1 Bahrain 0 (January 18)
Needing a win in driving rain, Bahrain reached the end of the road losing 1-0 to Australia. Mile Jedinak's long-range shot in the 37th minute took a bounce and nestled in the corner of the net. Bahrain threatened the scoreline on occasions but couldn't get past Schwarzer in the Australia goal and eliminated.

Group D matches
Stylish Iran see off UAE

Iran 3 UAE 0 (January 19)
Iran remain the only team with a 100 percent record in the Asian Cup after cruising 3-0 past the United Arab Emirates in the last day of the group stage. Iran threatened the Emiratis with their slick passing though the Arabs also came close in the first half. Teymourian split the UAE defense in the 70th minute with a pass to Rezaei whose cross from the byline was twice headed onto the bar by Gholami before Arash Afshin knocked in the rebound, but an aerial collision between Afshin and the UAE keeper 4 minutes later saw both players booked which resulted in the Iranian scorer being dismissed as he lay injured on the stretcher after having already seen yellow earlier in the match. Khalid Sebil was also shown a second yellow to level the numbers in the 79th minute and 4 minutes later Iran doubled their lead when after some good passing Heidari pulled the ball back for Nouri to stroke past Naser. A swift Iranian counter-attack in stoppage time resulted in Waleed Abbas and Rezaei chasing the ball with the unfortunate defender knocking it past his keeper to seal a 3-0 win for Iran.

Gholami double header against bar leads to Iran goal

Holders go through

Iraq 1 North Korea 0 (January 19)
North Korea ended their short run in the Asian Cup without a goal to their name after losing 1-0 to Iraq who go through behind Iran. Iraq came close in the 17th minute when Mustafa Kareem lifted Samal Saeed's downward header onto the bar from close rage, but 5 minutes later Korean keeper Ri Myong Guk could only parry Kareem's shot and Kerrar Jasim knocked in the follow up for what turned out to be the only goal of the match.

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