GROUP D

GUAM 0-0 OMAN

Guam: Guam remained unbeaten at home in the 2018 FIFA World Cup/2019 AFC Asian Cup joint-qualifiers after a resolute defensive display saw the Matao hold Oman to a goalless draw on Tuesday.

Having recorded back-to-back home wins over Turkmenistan and India, Guam were hammered 6-0 on the road by three-time Asian champions Iran last week but Gary White’s side recovered well from the defeat in Tehran to deny Oman a hat-trick of Group D wins.

An evenly-contested first half ended goalless with the visitors shading it in terms of possession and scoring chances, Saad Al Mukhaini putting too much power into his cross from the right with Imad Al Hosni well positioned to head home a better delivery, before Al Hosni had the ball in the net in the 42nd minute only for the Fanja forward to be denied the opener for offside.

Oman’s next chance came as fourth official Takuto Okabe indicated that there would be a minimum of one minute additional time when Guam forward John Matkin was intercepted in midfield allowing the ball to be worked to the right and enterprising winger Al Mukhaini, whose angled drive towards goal was well gathered by an alert Dallas Jaye in the Guam goal.

The final chance of the first half came the way of Oman’s main threat Al Hosni, but the former Charleroi forward, who had scored in each of the Gulf Sultanate’s previous Group D matches, fired wide with virtually the last kick of the opening period.

Oman started the second half with purpose as Paul Le Guen’s side kept play concentrated in the final third, but despite the onslaught they struggled to find a way past a resilient Guam defence with Thailand-based Brandon McDonald - who was well-positioned to block Eid Al Farsi’s 54th minute shot - responsible for a number of timely interventions.

The pattern of Oman dominance continued with Guam struggling to get out of their own half.

But the home side were dealing confidently with the visitors’ attack, with Ahmed Mubarak’s 74th minute free-kick, which was comfortably gathered by Jaye, Oman’s only real effort on target as Guam held on for a deserved point.

The group winners and four best runners-up (total 12 teams) will advance to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup finals and the final round of qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

The next best 24 teams from the preliminary stage of the joint qualifiers will compete in a separate competition for the remaining slots (12 slots or 11 slots + 1 slot for the host) in the 24-team 2019 Asian Cup.

 INDIA 0-3 IRAN

Bangalore: Iran went top of the 2018 FIFA World Cup/2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifying Group D table on Tuesday thanks to a 3-0 win over India.

Goals from Sardar Azmoun, Andranik Teymourian and Mehdi Taremi proved the difference as Carlos Queiroz’s side claimed their second win of the campaign to move ahead of Oman and Guam who had earlier drawn 0-0, on goal difference.

Despite the backing of a passionate home crowd, India fell behind in the 28th minute, Azmoun leaping highest to head home a pinpoint Teymourian free-kick.

Bloodied and yet unbowed, India defended resolutely for the remainder of the first half, but were undone within a minute of the second period starting when Taremi made the most of slack play by the Indian rearguard before finding Iranian captain Teymourian who fired home past goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.

Iran rubberstamped their victory some three minutes later as yet more hesitancy in the India defence saw Omid Ebrahimi find Taremi who finished with aplomb to effectively end the game as a contest.

The group winners and four best runners-up (total 12 teams) will advance to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup finals and the final round of qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

The next best 24 teams from the preliminary stage of the joint qualifiers will compete in a separate competition for the remaining slots (12 slots or 11 slots + 1 slot for the host) in the 24-team 2019 Asian Cup.