Halilhodzic ‘safe’ after Japan draw

China coach quits

MELBOURNE, Oct 12, (Agencies): Japan’s 1-1 draw with Asian champions Australia on Tuesday has made safe coach Vahid Halilhodzic’s job at least until the next round of World Cup qualifiers.

The 63-year-old Bosnian, who took over in March last year, had come under fire after the Blue Samurai started the final round of Asian qualifying with a shock home loss to the United Arab Emirates.

A 2-0 win away at Group B whipping boys Thailand and a scrappy 2-1 home victory over the similarly unfancied Iraq were not enough to ease the pressure on Halilhodzic.

The draw in Melbourne, however, prompted Japan Football Association technical director Akira Nishino to confirm the coach would still be in place when group leaders Saudi Arabia visit Saitama on Nov 15.

Halilhodzic certainly felt he and his team had won the tactical battle with the Australians, who led the group unbeaten going into Tuesday’s match.

The Australian players expressed surprise that a Japanese team with attacking talents such as AC Milan’s Keisuke Honda had played so defensively after taking a fifth minute lead through Genki Haraguchi.

Halilhodzic, though, was unapologetic if disappointed not to come away with the win.

The Blue Samurai have seven points after four of the 10 matches in the round and sit behind the Saudis (10) and the Socceroos (8) in Group B.

Only the top two qualify directly for Russia in 2018, which would be Japan’s sixth successive finals appearance.

China’s national football coach

Gao Hongbo announced his resignation after a 2-0 defeat to Uzbekistan left the perennially underachieving side’s hopes of reaching Russia 2018 hanging by a thread.

The loss in Tashkent on Tuesday left Team Dragon bottom of their third stage qualifying group for the next World Cup, with only one point from four games. Only the top three of the six contenders will progress.

Despite being the world’s most populous country and second-largest economy, and money pouring into the domestic game after President Xi Jinping declared ambitions to host and one day win the World Cup, China remain minnows on the global football stage.

The team has only ever qualified for one World Cup and are currently ranked a lowly 78th in the world by FIFA.

But he acknowledged discussing his future with Chinese Football Association bosses before the game, according to the Asian Football Confederation website.

“We agreed if we couldn’t reach a positive result against Uzbekistan I would stand down from my post,” it quoted him as saying.

“As a result of this defeat, I bring an end to my time in charge of the China national team.”

Gao, a former striker for the national team, previously managed the side in 2009-11 and was reappointed in February, after Frenchman Alain Perrin was sacked following embarrassing performances including a draw with Hong Kong.

South Korea head coach Uli

Stielike bemoaned the lack of a cutting edge striker after his side offered little threat going forward in Tuesday’s 1-0 World Cup qualifying defeat to Iran in Tehran.

Asia section Group A leaders Iran dominated the clash at the Azadi stadium with home striker

Sardar Azmoun scoring the winning goal with a well-taken finish in the first half.

The Koreans, who suffered their first defeat in the qualifying campaign for the 2018 tournament, failed to cope with the intensity of Team Melli’s play and struggled to create any clear-cut chances against a determined Iranian defence.

“Our primary goal is to qualify for the World Cup but if we play like we did today, it may be difficult to accomplish that.