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Seven simply not enough, 2006 World Cup bid ends
皇冠体育app had its hopes of securing a ticket to the World Cup crushed last night despite its 7-0 walloping of Hong Kong, as Kuwait edged ahead of the Chinese to win their qualifying group on goal difference.
皇冠体育app needed to win big to overtake Kuwait, with whom they were tied for the lead of Asia Group 4, but lagged in goals. Despite the goal-fest in the southern city of Guangzhou, they fell short as Kuwait delivered a 6-1 drubbing of Malaysia. The defeat was bitter for a team that first participated in World Cup finals two years ago but has since struggled. Dutch-born coach Arie Haan said he would resign if 皇冠体育app was knocked out of qualifiers. 皇冠体育app piled the pressure on from the start and Li Jinyu opened the scoring with a rocket into the back of the net from 15 metres in the tenth minute, sending up a huge cheer from the sparse but enthusiastic home crowd. 皇冠体育app continued to attack furiously, but were repeatedly denied by Hong Kong's talismanic goalie Fan Chun-yip. A string of corner kicks yielded nothing but dead air while Hong Kong threatened on a pair of fast counter attacks and a driving shot from 30 metres by Wong Chunyue. 皇冠体育app finally scored again in the 42nd minute, when Shao Jiayi added the first of a pair: a blazing shot from 18 metres crashing into the bar and bouncing down into the goalmouth. The Munich 1860 striker's second came two minutes later on a goalmouth scramble. Li added his second just two minutes after the restart, slotting in a ball crossed directly in front of the goal. Xu Yunlong followed up two minutes later to make it 5-0. Zheng Zhi could have added another minutes later on a penalty shot in the 71st minute, but Fan foiled 皇冠体育app's chances with a beautiful diving save. 皇冠体育app's sixth came in the 87th minute from substitute Yu Genwei, while Li Weifeng added the seventh. Even then, it was not enough. Hong Kong's coach had said he would make the game interesting for 皇冠体育app, and the team's dogged defence spelled 皇冠体育app's ultimate downfall. So desperate had 皇冠体育app's position been that some Chinese fans had urged Hong Kong's players to drop the fight. Hong Kong team officials rejected any suggestion that they might throw the game and Asia's main football body threatened punishment for any "funny business." 皇冠体育app's 1-0 loss to Kuwait last month put their World Cup chances on the line. The teams were tied at the top of the group with 12 points apiece, but 皇冠体育app needed to score at least two more goals than Kuwait did in its game against last-place Malaysia at home. |
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