Japan urged not to underestimate Thais

Australia in control of WC fate: coach

Poland’s goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski (left), makes a save in front of Montenegro’s Aleksandar Scekic, during their World Cup Group E qualifying soccer match at the City Stadium in Podorica, Montenegro on March 26. (AP)

TOKYO, March 27, (RTRS): Japan manager Vahid Halilhodzic has urged his side not to rest on their laurels as they seek a third successive World Cup qualifying victory when they host Thailand at the Saitama Stadium on Tuesday.

Japan, who beat United Arab Emirates last week, are unbeaten in their last five qualifiers to sit second in Asian Group B, level on 13 points with leaders Saudi Arabia with four games remaining, while Thailand are bottom of the standings on just a single point.

The top two teams will qualify automatically for the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the home side are fully expected to pick up three points against an outclassed Thailand.

HONG KONG, March 27, (RTRS): Chinese fans are expected to travel to the 2018 World Cup finals in record numbers with the growing interest in soccer and a cordial relationship with hosts Russia seen as key factors, despite the national side’s failings on the pitch.

China have only played at one World Cup and the current team face an uphill battle to book a berth at the next one, but Feng Tao, chief executive officer of marketing and events firm Shankai, believes fans will flock to Russia regardless.

“We are confident we can bring more fans to Russia because of the relationship between Russia and China,” said Feng, whose company has signed an exclusive deal with BH Hospitality to sell travel packages for the tournament to the Chinese market.

“The countries are very close, it’s much easier to go to Russia than it was to go to Brazil, which

Kagawa was quoted as saying by Kyodo news. “We will need variety.

“During these World Cup qualifiers, we’ve struggled to open up teams who sit back on us. We need to be on the same wavelength when we’re trying to create opportunities for ourselves.”

Japan will be without injured trio midfielder Yasuyuki Konno, captain Makoto Hasebe and forward Yuya Osako for Tuesday’s match.

Under-pressure Australia coach Ange Postecoglou has downplayed the significance of Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier against United Arab

took 24 or 25 hours, or to South Africa, which took 14 or 15 hours. To go to Russia takes only seven hours from China, so it’s easier.

“Historically, there’s a good relationship between China and Russia and now football has become part of the mentality of the Chinese people. Businessmen, the media and fans are showing strong interest in the World Cup.

“Until now, the majority have only been able to follow the World Cup on television but now there’s going to be the opportunity for them to travel to watch and for them to see a World Cup.”

While the figures are unlikely to eclipse the numbers who travelled to South Korea to watch China play in 2002 — as many as 100,000 were believed to have seen the side’s World Cup debut — Shankai are expecting 50,000 packages to be sold to Chinese fans as part of the expected $25 million deal.

Emirates as the Socceroos battle to remain in contention for an automatic berth to Russia in 2018.

Australia sit third in Group B of Asian qualifying after their 1-1 draw against Iraq, three points adrift of leaders Saudi Arabia and Japan.

Only the top two are guaranteed qualification for Russia and with four games remaining, Australia’s hopes of a fourth straight World Cup appearance could hinge on the outcome of the meeting at Sydney Football Stadium.

“It’s no bigger than last Thursday was,” Postecoglou told reporters on Monday, referring to the draw with Iraq in Tehran last week.

“Obviously it’s a World Cup qualifier and we’ve kind of set up an environment where we prepare for each game the same way and this is no different.

“If we win tomorrow night, it doesn’t make the Saudi Arabia game (on June 8) less important, if we don’t win, it doesn’t make it more important.

“I think we’re still, in terms of qualifying, where we know that our fate’s in our own hands,” added Postecoglou, whose side have laboured to four consecutive draws and struggled to score.

“We’ll only start looking at other things if that gets out of our control.”

The UAE sit just one point behind Australia after losing to Japan last week. The third placed team in each of Asia’s two qualifying groups goes into a playoff.

Vahid Halilhodzic’s Japan host Thailand at Saitama Stadium and will be expected to collect three points, while Bert van Marwijk’s Saudi Arabia play an Iraq side in Jeddah that have picked up just four points from their first six games.

In Group A, leaders Iran take on a resurgent China and seek a win that could put Carlos Queiroz and his team just one victory away from securing back-to-back appearances at the World Cup finals for the first time in the nation’s history. paid the price when Manchester United midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan nine minutes later with a low shot and substitute Aras Ozbiliz doubled the advantage after two minutes in the 75th, just five minutes after he came on.

After straight three losses at the beginning of the campaign, Armenia have rebounded with two victories and are just a point behind a playoff spot. Kazakhstan remain bottom with two points.

Scotland 1, Slovenia 0 Chris Martin came off the substitutes’ bench to keep alive Scotland’s World Cup dreams with a dramatic 88th-minute winner in a 1-0 win that ended Slovenia’s unbeaten run in European qualifying Group F.

The victory at Hampden Park left Scotland’s under-pressure manager Gordon Strachan saluting his team, saying: “These guys re-energised our nation tonight.”

The Scots’ hero turned out to be centre forward Martin, who received some boos when he was brought on as a last-ditch hope for the home team but, within minutes, was being cheered to the rafters.

The victory breathed new life into the Scots’ dismal campaign, putting them on to seven points in fourth place, now just one behind Slovenia, who slipped back to third in the table behind Slovakia, nine, and runaway leaders England on 13.

It also gave them fresh hope as they look forward to their next group match, a clash with their oldest rivals England at Hampden Park in June.

“The players can be proud of themselves. We have got ourselves back in contention and we look forward to the next game now,” Strachan, whose own future as Scotland manager has been the subject of much speculation, told Sky Sports.

A half-empty Hampden had looked resigned to seeing Scotland fail to prevail against Slovenia in what Strachan had described as a “must-win” match.

The Scots were left cursing their bad luck after a first half during which Leigh Griffiths struck the woodwork twice in the space of a minute and Russell Martin had a headed goal ruled out for pushing.

Their chance of the crucial win looked lost when substitute Ikechi Anya missed a great chance but Chris Martin, brought on in the 81st minute, latched on to debutant Stuart Armstrong’s threaded through ball to strike home a left-foot shot.

It was a remarkable finale, especially as Derby County striker Martin, who is on loan at Fulham, is not too popular with a section of the Scottish fans.

Denmark’s Riza Durmisi (top), jumps over Romania’s Cristian Sapunaru, during their World Cup Group E qualifying soccer match at the Cluj Arena Stadium

in Cluj, Romania on March 26. (AP)

“Chris Martin gets a good reception from the players and the staff. That is why we pick him,” Strachan said.

“He is in great company. Kenny Dalglish was booed, so was Gary McAllister, so was Alan Hansen. He must be some player.”

Strachan also had extravagant praise for the Celtic midfield newcomer Armstrong. “I think his could be the best Scottish debut I have ever seen,” said the manager.

Northern Ireland 2, Norway 0 Jamie Ward took just 90 seconds to score and set Northern Ireland on their way to a 2-0 home win over Norway in their World Cup qualifier at Windsor Park to keep the Irish in contention for Russia next year.

Conor Washington scored the other goal in the 33rd minute as Northern Ireland moved on to 10 points in Group C, second and five points behind Germany and two ahead of the Czech Republic, who both won earlier on Sunday.

Ward curled in a shot from close range for a perfect start and Washington beat the offside trap to double the score not long after Alexander Soderlund had rattled the crossbar for the Norwegians, who have now lost four of their opening five qualifiers.

It was a disappointing debut for new Norway coach Lars Lagerback, who took Iceland through a fairytale performance at last year’s European Championship in France.

Romania 0, Denmark 0 Romania extended their unimpressive run of results under German coach Christohp Daum when they scrambled a 0-0 draw with Denmark in a World Cup Group E qualifier.

The stalemate left Romania fourth in the standings with six points from five matches, a point behind Montenegro and Denmark and seven adrift of Poland who beat the Montenegrins 2-1 away.

The result means Romania, still searching for their first home win in the qualifying campaign, have failed to score in four consecutive games for the first time since 1931.

The hosts were outclassed by Denmark, who missed the chance to move up to second place after wasting several opportunities with Christian Eriksen coming closest to breaking the deadlock.