AMMAN -- Uzbekistan beat Turkmenistan 5-2 in
on Thursday thanks to a goal a piece from three second half
substitutes to tighten their grip on the World Cup Asia zone
group seven.
In an earlier game, Jordan scored three times in the final
five minutes to crush 10-man Taiwan 6-0 and stay in contention
to clinch top spot in the group.
The results left Uzbekistan leading the qualifying group
with 10 points from four games with Jordan second on seven
points and Turkmenistan third a point behind Jordan. Taiwan are
last with no points.
Mirdjalal Kasimov opened the scoring for Uzbekistan against
Turkmenistan with a 21st minute penalty. Jafar Irismetov made it
2-0 14 minutes later and Uzbekistan appeared cruising to
victory.
But Turkmenistan's Vladimir Bayramov wiped out Uzbekistan's
advantage with two quick goals in the 42nd and 44th minutes.
Substitute Ulugbek Bakayev, on at the start of the second
half scored in the 48th minute to restore Uzbekistan's lead.
Substitute Andrey Akopyants made it 4-2 in the 82th minute
before another substitute, Georgi Georgieve, rounded up the
scoring two minutes from time.
In the earlier match, Jordan struggled to break down Taiwan
in the first half before man-of-the-match midfielder Esam Abu
Touk scored with a powerful header in injury time to the relief
of the home crowd.
Abu Touk doubled the score four minutes into the second
half, slotting home a penalty. Badran al-Shaqran made it three
12 minutes later but the Taiwanese did not collapse until
defender Chen Chun-Chieh was shown the red card for his second
bookable offence six minutes from time.
Rateb Awadat made it four for Jordan a minute later before
Ghanem Hamarsheh hit a brace in the 87th and 89th minutes to
complete the rout.
On Saturday, Taiwan play Uzbekistan and Jordan face
Turkmenistan in the penultimate phase of the qualifiers.
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