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FIFA World Cup qualifying matches continue
Sports Network
Sept 8 2004
Zurich, Switzerland (Sports Network) - FIFA World Cup qualifying
continued Wednesday with matches in the Asian, European, and North
and Central American and Caribbean groups.
Eight groups and a total of 22 matches were scheduled in Group 4 of
European play. France rebounded from a scoreless draw with Israel
over the weekend with a 2-0 win in the Faroe Islands. The new-look
Les Bleus squad overcame the expulsion of captain Patrick Vieira for
diving in the 50th minute while holding just a one-goal lead.
Ludovic Giuly gave France that advantage when he put home a rebound
of a shot by Robert Pires in the first half. Djibril Cisse, who helped
set up Pires for the shot on the first goal, later added an important
strike in the second half to give France some much-needed breathing
room. Anything but a victory would have raised a red flag on the new
Raymond Domenech era. Domenech took over for Jacques Santini following
France's failure at Euro 2004 earlier this summer.
Results from other European matches were as follows: Romania
easily defeated Andorra, 5-1, for its third win in as many tries in
qualifying; Finland won at Armenia, 2-0; Ukraine outlasted Kazakhstan,
2-1; Georgia posted a 2-0 win at home over Albania; and Lithuania
easily beat San Marino, 4-0.
All the North and Central American and Caribbean matches are scheduled
for Wednesday night.
Asia's qualifying was in full swing with eight groups and 16 matches
played. Iraq highlighted the action in the region when it continued
to build on the momentum gained from a fourth-place finish at the
Olympics. The Iraqis won handily at Taiwan, 4-1, to remain just
slightly behind Uzbekistan, a 3-0 winner over Palestine on Wednesday,
in the Group 2 standings.
Results from other Asian matches were as follows: Qatar crushed Laos,
6-1; Iran beat Jordan, 2-0; Oman recorded a 2-0 win over Singapore;
Japan put four goals on the board at India during a 4-0 victory;
Kuwait won at Hong Kong, 2-0; China managed a 1-0 triumph at Malaysia;
Bahrain edged Kyrgyzstan, 2-1; Syria squeezed past Tajikistan with a
2-1 win; North Korea posted a 4-1 victory at home over Thailand; Yemen
beat U.A.E., 3-1; the Korean Republic won at Vietnam, 2-1; Lebanon
exploded for five goals in a 5-2 rout of Maldives; Indonesia won 2-0
at Sri Lanka; and Saudi Arabia collected a 1-0 triumph at Turkmenistan.
Sports Network
Sept 8 2004
Zurich, Switzerland (Sports Network) - FIFA World Cup qualifying
continued Wednesday with matches in the Asian, European, and North
and Central American and Caribbean groups.
Eight groups and a total of 22 matches were scheduled in Group 4 of
European play. France rebounded from a scoreless draw with Israel
over the weekend with a 2-0 win in the Faroe Islands. The new-look
Les Bleus squad overcame the expulsion of captain Patrick Vieira for
diving in the 50th minute while holding just a one-goal lead.
Ludovic Giuly gave France that advantage when he put home a rebound
of a shot by Robert Pires in the first half. Djibril Cisse, who helped
set up Pires for the shot on the first goal, later added an important
strike in the second half to give France some much-needed breathing
room. Anything but a victory would have raised a red flag on the new
Raymond Domenech era. Domenech took over for Jacques Santini following
France's failure at Euro 2004 earlier this summer.
Results from other European matches were as follows: Romania
easily defeated Andorra, 5-1, for its third win in as many tries in
qualifying; Finland won at Armenia, 2-0; Ukraine outlasted Kazakhstan,
2-1; Georgia posted a 2-0 win at home over Albania; and Lithuania
easily beat San Marino, 4-0.
All the North and Central American and Caribbean matches are scheduled
for Wednesday night.
Asia's qualifying was in full swing with eight groups and 16 matches
played. Iraq highlighted the action in the region when it continued
to build on the momentum gained from a fourth-place finish at the
Olympics. The Iraqis won handily at Taiwan, 4-1, to remain just
slightly behind Uzbekistan, a 3-0 winner over Palestine on Wednesday,
in the Group 2 standings.
Results from other Asian matches were as follows: Qatar crushed Laos,
6-1; Iran beat Jordan, 2-0; Oman recorded a 2-0 win over Singapore;
Japan put four goals on the board at India during a 4-0 victory;
Kuwait won at Hong Kong, 2-0; China managed a 1-0 triumph at Malaysia;
Bahrain edged Kyrgyzstan, 2-1; Syria squeezed past Tajikistan with a
2-1 win; North Korea posted a 4-1 victory at home over Thailand; Yemen
beat U.A.E., 3-1; the Korean Republic won at Vietnam, 2-1; Lebanon
exploded for five goals in a 5-2 rout of Maldives; Indonesia won 2-0
at Sri Lanka; and Saudi Arabia collected a 1-0 triumph at Turkmenistan.