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Summary Japan and Uzbekistan advanced to the last round of Asian World Cup qualifying.
Japan beat host Tajikistan 4-0 and Uzbekistan defeated visiting North Korea 1-0 to send both winners into the fourth and decisive round.North Korea became the first team from the 2010 World Cup to be knocked out of the running for Brazil 2014.Australia missed a chance to advance when it was stunned by Oman, which needed the win to remain in contention.Striker Imaad al Hosni scored from close range in the 18th minute and Australia was unable to equalize.Japan brushed aside Tajikistan in Dushanbe to preserve its unbeaten record in Asian qualifying. Striker Shinji Okazaki scored two goals for Japan, his second coming in the final seconds to put the final touch to an easy victory that keeps Japan atop Group C, ahead of second-placed Uzbekistan.Yasuyuki Konno and Ryoichi Maeda also scored for Japan.Alberto Zaccheronis team beat Tajikistan 8-0 last month, but needed a fortuitous rebound in the 36th minute from a save by Tajik goalkeeper Alisher Tuychiev for Konno to break the deadlock.A header from Okzaki in the 61st doubled the score, and Maeda struck the ball into the top corner to beat Tuychiev in the 82nd.In Dubai, Lee Keun-ho and captain Park Chu-young scored late second-half goals to keep the unbeaten South Koreans on top of Group B after four matches.South Korea beat UAE 2-1 at home a month ago, but didnt break the deadlock until the 87th minute, when Lee sidefooted into an open net. Park then slid into the goalmouth to bundle the ball across the line in the second minute of injury time.In Muscat, Oman striker Imaad al Hosni scored the winner in the 18th minute against the run of the play. Ahmed Hadeed sent a defense-splitting pass to Imaad, who hammered his shot past Australia goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer.Saudi Arabia plays Thailand later in Riyadh. Thailand has four points from three matches while Saudi Arabia has two from same number of games.
