Russia’s Alexey Kozlov (right) fights for the ball with Israel’s Lior Refaelov during their 2014 World Cup qualifying match at the Petrovsky Stadium in St. Petersburg yesterday, (Reuters)
Jordan won a marathon penalty shoot-out 9-8 yesterday to down Uzbekistan in Asia’s World Cup play-off in a dramatic match which was also interrupted by a floodlight failure.
After the two sides were locked at 1-1 after extra time, hosts Uzbekistan missed their first two spot-kicks before hauling themselves back into the shoot-out.
But Anzur Ismailov, scorer of Uzbekistan’s goal in normal play, was the fall guy as he missed the decisive kick which sent Jordan into a play-off against an as yet undecided team from South America.
Uzbekistan’s early opener from Ismailov had been cancelled out just before half-time by Saeed Murjan, and in a tense second period neither side could find the clincher.
But there were farcical scenes when, 10 minutes into the first period of extra time, the floodlights failed at the venerable Pakhtakor Stadium, prompting jeers and a delay of 18 minutes.
Both teams were forced to leave the field for an interruption that was so long that players and officials were seen doing warm-up stretches before the game restarted.
Jordan will now play the fifth placed team in South American qualifying—currently Uruguay—home and away in November for a place at next year’s World Cup in Brazil.
Russia went back to the top of their World Cup qualifying group with a 3-1 win against Israel in Saint Petersburg.
Second-half goals by CSKA Moscow full-back Vasili Berezutsky, Dynamo Moscow forward Alexander Kokorin and Spartak Moscow midfielder Denis Glushakov secured the victory for Russia before Eran Zehavi pulled a goal back for the visitors at the death.
The win leaves Russia with 18 points two games from the end of their Group F campaign, one point clear of Portugal and six ahead of Israel.
If Fabio Capello’s side win their remaining two matches away to Luxembourg and Azerbaijan, they will qualify automatically for the finals in Brazil next year, but any slip-up would let Portugal in and leave the Russians facing a play-off in November.
Israel desperately needed to win to keep alive their chances of qualifying but they struggled to create any openings in the first half.
Roman Shirokov, Viktor Faizulin and Kokorin all tried their luck for the home side before Israel striker Elyaniv Barda flashed a header just wide shortly prior to the interval. Visiting goalkeeper Dudu Aouate then saved from Alexander Kerzhakov, but Russia got their noses in front four minutes after the break when Berezutsky, back in the team after missing the weekend win against Luxembourg due to suspension, converted a Shirokov cross from the right.
Three minutes later Kokorin had Russia’s supporters on their feet when he met Alexander Samedov’s cross and fired into the top right-hand corner of the net from the edge of the box.
Glushakov made it 3-0 for the hosts in the 74th minute when he netted the rebound after Shirokov’s spotkick, awarded for a handball by Zahavi, came back off the post.
Zahavi scored an injury-time consolation with a close-range header but this was a hugely damaging defeat for Israel.
Egypt midfielder Mohamed Abou Trika celebrated his 100th cap by scoring one goal and creating three in a 4-2 World Cup qualifying win over 10-man Guinea yesterday.
The result of the Group H dead rubber maintained the 100 percent record of the ‘Pharaohs’ as they chase a first World Cup appearance since the 1990 finals in Italy.
Abou Trika is the ninth Egyptian footballer to reach the 100-cap milestone and retired compatriot Ahmed Hassan holds the world record with 184 national team appearances. Egypt finished with 18 points, Guinea 10, Mozambique three and Zimbabwe two in a mini-league dominated from start to finish by the seven-time African champions.
A draw in Cairo on September 16 will decide who Egypt face in a two-leg play-off during October and November with the winners securing a place at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Fears of crowd trouble in politically turbulent and security sensitive Egypt meant the game was staged in El-Gouna—far from popular football venues Cairo and Alexandria. It was the first time the ‘Pharaohs’ have played at the Red Sea watersports resort, 450 kilometres north-east of capital city Cairo.