UAE, N.Korea share spoils; Aussies beat China to revive WC campaign

A fighting North Korea held UAE to a 1-1 draw in their AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road to 26 Group A tie at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on Thursday.

Yahya Al Ghassani struck in the 66th minute to open the scoring with goalkeeper Khalid Eisa keeping out Han Kwang Song’s spot-kick, only for Jong Il Gwan to level the tie late in the game.

North Korea found themselves under early pressure, with UAE crafting a chance when Harib Abdalla Almusharrkh initiated a move that found Bruno but custodian Kang Ju Hyok was quick off his line to collect the ball.

The Emiratis had another chance in the 19th minute when a surging Abdulla Hamad Almenhali sent a cross that a diving Bruno just failed to connect to.

Bruno continued to roam freely inside North Korea’s area, first setting up Harib Abdalla Suhail, who skied his effort, and then seeing Khalifa Al Hammadi head just over the bar from his set-piece delivery.

North Korea almost caught UAE napping in the 38th minute when Han Kwang Song intercepted a stray pass to break into the box, but the Emirati defence quickly closed down the space.

The best chance of the game fell for the visitors in the 41st minute but Jong Kum Song pulled his headed attempt just wide off the right post off Kwang Song’s corner.

Eisa was kept on his toes in the second half as North Korea turned the tempo up a notch with the shotstopper needing to tip over Ri Il Song’s effort from inside the box in the 49th minute before foiling Kim Yu Song’s free-kick three minutes later.

Moments later, North Korea’s claim for a penalty was overruled after a counter-attacking move from the middle saw substitute Kim Kuk Jin’s bursting run inside the box halted by Kouame Kouadio.

Having allowed North Korea to dictate terms, UAE turned on the power in the 66th minute as a delightful through ball from Abdulla Hamad sent Al Ghassani clear on the right with the substitute - on the pitch for just two minutes - slotting the ball past Ju Hyok.

North Korea refused to give up and came close to equalising in the 71st minute but Kuk Jin pulled his effort wide from a tight angle before they were given a lifeline moments later when Khaled Ebraheim conceded a penalty for a foul on Il Song.

Eisa, however, stood tall to deny Kwang Song but the Emirati goalkeeper could not stop Jong Il Gwan’s header from crossing the goal line in the 86th minute as DPR Korea took a share of the points.

The UAE have four points, three adrift of Uzbekistan and Iran and play Uzbekistan next on Tuesday while North Korea face Kyrgyz.

Australia rally to down China: Australia came from behind to beat China 3-1 and resurrect their World Cup qualifying campaign, ensuring Tony Popovic’s reign as coach got off to a winning start.

The Socceroos went into the game at Adelaide Oval after a shock 1-0 home loss to Bahrain and a scoreless draw in Indonesia last month left them in a perilous position in Asian Group C.

It led to the departure of coach Graham Arnold and Popovic being installed as his successor.

Goals from Lewis Miller, Craig Goodwin and debutant Nishan Velupillay did the damage after they went behind against the run of play in the 20th minute in front of 46,291 fans.

“We were calm, composed, even after we lost the first goal we stuck to the game plan, which was obviously something new,” said Socceroos skipper Jackson Irvine.

“But the boys took to it quickly, they are such an adaptable group. It was an all-round great performance.”

It secured three crucial points ahead of a tough away match against Japan next week and consigned China to their third straight qualifying defeat.

Only the top two in the six-team group secure direct passage to the 2026 World Cup with the third- and fourth-placed nations facing another qualifying phase.

China are bottom of the group, piling more pressure on their Croatian coach Branko Ivankovic whose tenure has been under intense scrutiny after a run of poor form.

Popovic, who barely had two days with the bulk of his squad to prepare, notably dropped captain Mat Ryan with Aston Villa’s Joe Gauci preferred as goalkeeper and Irvine taking the armband.