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WC Qualifiers: Saudi Arabia jumps to top of Group A
RIYADH, Jun 3 (SW) - Saudi Arabia went to the top of Asian World Cup qualifying Group A with a 3-0 victory over Kuwait on Friday, jumping over South Korea who drew dramatically with Uzbekistan.
Mohammed Al-Shalhoob put the Kingdom in front on 20 minutes and sent the home side to the dressing room with a 1-0 half-time lead over their Arabian rivals.
Al-Shalhoob doubled the Saudi lead four minutes into the second half and then Kuwait were reduced to ten players when Ali Al-Namash was dismissed in the 65th minute.
Just a few minutes after the Al-Namash red card, Waleed Jumah was sent off for his second bookable offence of the match before an 83rd-minute goal by Saad Al-Harithi capped off a nice win for Saudi Arabia.
The match had been stopped for a half-hour in the second half after the King Fahd Stadium lights went out.
Elsewhere in Group A, South Korea conceded the group leadership, but escaped their trip to Tashkent with a 1-1 draw against Uzbekistan.
Dynamo Kiev's Maksim Shatskikh put the Uzbeks in front in the 62nd minute and it appeared his nation would earn their first victory in this phase of qualifying. But youngster Chu-Young Park scored an equalizing goal in added time, grabbing a huge point for the Koreans and keeping them in line for a spot in Germany 2006.
Saudi Arabia can clinch a World Cup berth with a win over Uzbekistan on Wednesday. South Korea can also clinch a berth with a win at Kuwait.
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