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

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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

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification          
1   Australia 8 6 2 0 12 1 +11 20 2010 FIFA World Cup 2–1 2–0 4–0 2–0
2   Japan 8 4 3 1 11 6 +5 15 0–0 1–0 1–1 1–1
3   Bahrain 8 3 1 4 6 8 −2 10 Fifth round 0–1 2–3 1–0 1–0
4   Qatar 8 1 3 4 5 14 −9 6 0–0 0–3 1–1 3–0
5   Uzbekistan 8 1 1 6 5 10 −5 4 0–1 0–1 0–1 4–0
Source: [1]

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 Ali Afif   53' (pen.)

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

Group B

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification          
1   South Korea 8 4 4 0 12 4 +8 16 2010 FIFA World Cup 1–0 0–0 1–1 4–1
2   North Korea 8 3 3 2 7 5 +2 12 1–1 1–0 0–0 2–0
3   Saudi Arabia 8 3 3 2 8 8 0 12 Fifth round 0–2 0–0 1–1 3–2
4   Iran 8 2 5 1 8 7 +1 11 1–1 2–1 1–2 1–0
5   United Arab Emirates 8 0 1 7 6 17 −11 1 0–2 1–2 1–2 1–1
Source: [1]

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

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There were 80 goals scored in 40 matches, for an average of 2 goals per match.

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

Notes

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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.[3] 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.[4] 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."[5] 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."[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b "FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) 2010, football - table and standings". soccer365.me. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ Tiat, Robert (25 June 2009). "Iranian players receive life bans for gestures". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
  5. ^ "Iran denies punishing players for wearing green wristbands". London: The Daily Telegraph. 25 June 2009. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
  6. ^ Bell, Jack (26 June 2009). "Iran Did Not Suspend Players, Coach Says". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 June 2009.