UAE begin U20 qualifiers campaign with win
bishkek: The UAE defeated Brunei Darussalam 5-0 to kick off their AFC U20 Asian Cup Uzbekistan 2023 Qualifiers Group J campaign with a swagger on Wednesday.
Ater being limited to a 1-0 lead, four second half goals gave the West Asian side the early advantage in the group.
UAE enjoyed a dream start with Atiq Esam Embarkoh giving them a first minute lead.
Brunei Darussalam, however, pushed back and UAE had to wait till the 62nd minute for their second goal through Khalifa Khamis Alabadla.
Midfielder Ali Abdulaziz converted a penalty in the 79th minute, with Mayed Saeed Alawani adding the fourth just a minute later.
Mubarak Salem Aljaari added the fith in the third minute of added time to cap a sizzling opening win for UAE. UAE next play Kyrgyz Republic on Friday with Brunei Darussalam to face Iran.
JAPAN THRASH GUAM: Kanta Chiba scored six as Japan flexed their muscles against Guam to emerge 9-0 winners in Group C.
The result makes their two wins out of two for the Samurai Blue as they sit comfortably at the top of the standings.
Ater their convincing 4-0 win over Laos, Japan cameintotheirsecondtiebrimmingwithconfidence, which they quickly converted into goals with Jiro Nakamura opening the scoring in the 13th minute, before Yoshiki Narahara doubled their lead two minutes later.
Guam were desperate to get points on the table ater suffering a 3-0 loss to Laos on Matchday One, but there was no stopping Japan as Kanta Chiba scored at the half-hour mark, while Jiro Nakamura converted a penalty five minutes later.
Chiba then made it 5-0 with essentially the last shot of the first half.
However, the forward was just geting started as he took over the game ater the haltime break, completing his hat-trick in the 56th minute from the penalty spot, before scoring three more in the final four minutes of the match.
Japan will next face Palestine on Friday, while Guam take on Yemen.
VIETNAMROUTHONGKONG:VIETNAMDEFEATED Hong Kong 5-1 in Group F at the Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium.the comprehensive victory gives Vietnam an early advantage with only the top team from the group assured of a place in Uzbekistan 2023.
A Dinh Xuan Tien brace powered Vietnam to a 5-1 victory over Vietnam with Nguyen Quoc
Viet, Khuat Van Khang and Nguyen Duc Anh also finding the target.
Xuan Tien broke the deadlock with a 25th minute strike before Quoc Viet doubled Vietnam’s advantage from the penalty spot going into the break.
Xuan Tien scored his second goal of the evening in the 51st minute, with Van Khang scoring the fourth seven minutes later.
Ellison Tsang pulled one back for Hong Kong in the 69th minute but Vietnam replied with a strike from Duc Anh in the third minute of added time to cap the resounding win.
Vietnam will play Timor-leste on Friday, while Hong Kong face Indonesia.
SOUTH KOREA DEFEAT SRI LANKA: South Korea defeated Sri Lanka 6-0, while Malaysia fought back to earn a 1-1 draw against Mongolia in Group E.
The resounding win gives Korea Republic an early advantage with only the top team from the group assured of a place in Uzbekistan 2023.
Lee Jun-sang led with a second-half hat-trick to steer Korea Republic to a resounding victory over Sri Lanka in their Group E opener.
South Korea dominated the early proceedings and took the lead in the first minute following an own goal by Sri Lanka’s H I Imdadulla.
Lee Young-jun scored Korea Republic’s second just before the half-hour mark with Lee Seung-won making it 3-0 from the penalty spot at the stroke of half-time.
South Korea turned on the power in the second half with Jun-sang scoring in the 47th, 69th and 76th minutes to complete his hat-trick.
Elsewhere, Aliff Izwan came to Malaysia’s rescue in the second half, cancelling out Buyannemekh Ganbat’s goal to earn a vital point against Mongolia.