2010 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC Fourth Round

The AFC Fourth Round of 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification was decided by a random draw conducted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 27 June 2008. The round commenced on 6 September 2008, and finished on 17 June 2009.

The top two countries in each group at the end of the stage qualified directly to the World Cup Finals in South Africa, with the two third-placed countries advancing to the AFC play-off.

Format

The 10 teams (2 teams from each group in the third round) were divided into four pots for the draw, three containing two teams and one containing four. The seeding for the fourth round was based on that used in the third round draw, but Saudi Arabia and Japan (seeded equal 4th in that draw) were separated by a random selection held at the start of the fourth round draw. The pots were as follows:

Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4

 Australia
 South Korea

 Iran
 Japan

 Saudi Arabia
 Bahrain

 Uzbekistan
 North Korea
 United Arab Emirates
 Qatar

The 10 teams were split into two groups of five teams each – each containing one team from each of Pots 1, 2 and 3, as well as 2 teams from Pot 4.

The top two teams in each group qualified for the World Cup Finals, with the two third-placed sides advancing to a playoff. All teams played home and away against each of the other four teams in the group.

Group A

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Australia 8 6 2 0 12 1 +11 20 2–1 2–0 4–0 2–0
 Japan 8 4 3 1 11 6 +5 15 0–0 1–0 1–1 1–1
 Bahrain 8 3 1 4 6 8 2 10 0–1 2–3 1–0 1–0
 Qatar 8 1 3 4 5 14 9 6 0–0 0–3 1–1 3–0
 Uzbekistan 8 1 1 6 5 10 5 4 0–1 0–1 0–1 4–0
Source:

Bahrain 2–3 Japan
Isa  87'
Tulio  89' (o.g.)
Report S. Nakamura  18'
Endō  44' (pen.)
K. Nakamura  85'
Qatar 3–0 Uzbekistan
Siddiq  37'
Magid Mohamed  73'
Al-Bloushi  86'
Report

Uzbekistan 0–1 Australia
Report Chipperfield  26'
Attendance: 34,000
Qatar 1–1 Bahrain
Soria  6' Report Fatadi  67'

Australia 4–0 Qatar
Cahill  8'
Emerton  17' (pen.), 58'
Kennedy  76'
Report
Japan 1–1 Uzbekistan
Tamada  40' Report Shatskikh  27'
Attendance: 55,142

Bahrain 0–1 Australia
Report Bresciano  90+3'
Qatar 0–3 Japan
Report Tanaka  19'
Tamada  47'
Tulio  68'
Attendance: 13,000
Referee: Sun Baojie (China PR)

Japan 0–0 Australia
Report
Attendance: 66,000
Referee: Muhsen Basma (Syria)
Uzbekistan 0–1 Bahrain
Report Abdulrahman  90+4'

Japan 1–0 Bahrain
S. Nakamura  47' Report
Attendance: 57,276
Uzbekistan 4–0 Qatar
Tadjiyev  34', 45+2', 53'
Soliev  62'
Report
Attendance: 18,000
Referee: Masoud Moradi (Iran)

Australia 2–0 Uzbekistan
Kennedy  66'
Kewell  73' (pen.)
Report
Attendance: 57,292
Bahrain 1–0 Qatar
Aaish  52' Report

Uzbekistan 0–1 Japan
Report Okazaki  9'
Attendance: 34,000
Referee: Muhsen Basma (Syria)
Qatar 0–0 Australia
Report

Australia 2–0 Bahrain
Sterjovski  55'
Carney  88'
Report
Attendance: 39,540
Japan 1–1 Qatar
Al Binali  3' (o.g.) Report Afif  53' (pen.)

Australia 2–1 Japan
Cahill  59', 77' Report Tulio  39'
Bahrain 1–0 Uzbekistan
Abdulrahman  73' Report

Group B

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 South Korea 8 4 4 0 12 4 +8 16 1–0 0–0 1–1 4–1
 North Korea 8 3 3 2 7 5 +2 12 1–1 1–0 0–0 2–0
 Saudi Arabia 8 3 3 2 8 8 0 12 0–2 0–0 1–1 3–2
 Iran 8 2 5 1 8 7 +1 11 1–1 2–1 1–2 1–0
 United Arab Emirates 8 0 1 7 6 17 11 1 0–2 1–2 1–2 1–1
Source:

United Arab Emirates 1–2 North Korea
Saeed  86' Report Choe Kum-Chol  72'
An Chol-Hyok  81'
Saudi Arabia 1–1 Iran
Al-Harthi  29' Report Nekounam  81'

North Korea 1–1 South Korea
Hong Yong-Jo  64' (pen.) Report Ki Sung-Yueng  69'
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Muhsen Basma (Syria)
United Arab Emirates 1–2 Saudi Arabia
Khater  23' Report Otaif  69'
Al-Fraidi  73'

South Korea 4–1 United Arab Emirates
Lee Keun-Ho  20', 80'
Park Ji-sung  26'
Kwak Tae-Hwi  89'
Report Al Hammadi  72'
Iran 2–1 North Korea
Mahdavikia  9'
Nekounam  63'
Report Jong Tae-Se  72'
Attendance: 60,000

United Arab Emirates 1–1 Iran
Juma'a  19' Report Bagheri  81'
Saudi Arabia 0–2 South Korea
Report Lee Keun-Ho  76'
Park Chu-Young  90+2'

North Korea 1–0 Saudi Arabia
Mun In-Guk  28' Report
Iran 1–1 South Korea
Nekounam  58' Report Park Ji-sung  81'
Attendance: 75,000

North Korea 2–0 United Arab Emirates
Pak Nam-Chol  51'
Mun In-Guk  90+3'
Report
Iran 1–2 Saudi Arabia
Shojaei  57' Report Hazazi  79'
Al-Muwallad  87'
Attendance: 100,000

South Korea 1–0 North Korea
 Kim Chi-Woo  86' Report
Saudi Arabia 3–2 United Arab Emirates
Otaif  4' (pen.)
Juma  70' (o.g.)
Hazazi  85'
Report Al Shehhi  38'
Matar  45+1'

North Korea 0–0 Iran
Report
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Sun Baojie (China PR)
United Arab Emirates 0–2 South Korea
Report Park Chu-Young  9'
Ki Sung-Yueng  37'
Attendance: 4,000

South Korea 0–0 Saudi Arabia
Report
Iran 1–0 United Arab Emirates
Karimi  53' Report
Attendance: 38,000

South Korea 1–1 Iran
Park Ji-sung  82' Report Shojaei  52'
Saudi Arabia 0–0 North Korea
Report

Goalscorers

As of 17 June, there have been 81 goals scored in 40 games, for an average of 2.03 goals per game.

3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
1 own goal

Notes

    Several Iranian players started their away match against South Korea wearing green armbands or wristbands, a symbol of protest at the outcome of the Iranian presidential election.[2] Most removed them at half-time. The newspaper Iran reported that Ali Karimi, Mehdi Mahdavikia, Hosein Kaebi, and Vahid Hashemian had received life bans from the Iranian FA for the gesture.[3] However, the Iranian FA denied this claim in a response to FIFA's inquiry saying that "the comments in foreign media are nothing but lies and a mischievous act."[4] The Iran national team head coach Afshin Ghotbi also confirmed that it was a rumour and Iranian FA "has not taken any official stand on this issue."[5]

    References

    1. Match played in Shanghai, China, as was the corresponding fixture in the Third Round, as North Korea refused to play the anthem and fly the flag of South Korea.
    2. "Iranian football team shows support for Mousavi with green arm bands at Seoul World Cup qualifier". The Daily Telegraph. London. 17 June 2009. Retrieved 17 June 2009.
    3. Tiat, Robert (25 June 2009). "Iranian players receive life bans for gestures". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
    4. "Iran denies punishing players for wearing green wristbands". London: The Daily Telegraph. 25 June 2009. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
    5. Bell, Jack (26 June 2009). "Iran Did Not Suspend Players, Coach Says". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 June 2009.
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