China book small win over Malaysia
(China Daily)
Updated: 2004-09-09 08:28

Li Jinyu's sole goal gave a 10-man China team a 1-0 hardfought victory against Malaysia yesterday during their World Cup Asian Zone qualifier.

The host team, under its new coach Bertalan Bickei of Hungary who took the post after its humiliating 4-0 away defeat to China on June 9, had the upper hand in the first half, missing several scoring opportunities because of defensive mistakes by Chinese players.

China's Li Ming (middle)tries to break through the defence of two Malaysians during their World Cup Asian Zone Group Four Qualifying match yesterday. China won 1-0. [Xinhua]

The chances in the second half were even better as Chinese defender Zheng Zhi was sent off for picking up a second yellow five minutes into the second. But a header from Li in the 69th minute destroyed the host's winning hopes.

China stayed unbeaten in the group with four wins followed by Kuwait, standing with three wins and one defeat. Hong Kong was third as Malaysia ranked the last.

In other action, newly-crowned Asian champions Japan stayed on course for the 2006 World Cup in convincing fashion while South Korea were made to struggle.

Japan preserved their 100 per cent record in Group 3 with a 4-0 victory over India while the Koreans, semi-finalists at the last World Cup, recovered from 1-0 down and an early sending-off to beat Vietnam 2-1.

Lowly India, still smarting from their 7-0 drubbing in the first leg in June, held the Japanese until the last minute of the first half in Calcutta when Takayuki Suzuki opened the scoring.

But the visitors dominated the second half with Shinji Ono, Takashi Fukunishi and Tsuneyasu Miyamoto all getting on the score-sheet.

"We came here to win and got that," said Japan's coach Zico. "It took the boys time to settle down in the hot weather, but they showed good courage to come back strongly in the second half."

Meanwhile a late free-kick from Lee Chun-soo spared South Korea's blushes as the World Cup 2002 semi-finalists recovered from a goal down and a first-half red card to beat Vietnam 2-1.

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