10 Memorable Asian World Cup Moments
Friday, 04 June 2010 14:55
Kuala Lumpur: The first time an Asian team appeared in the FIFA World Cup finals was in 1938. Since then, Asian teams have had some great moments on the World Cup stage.
The editors a the-afc.com have gone back in time to pick out what in our opinions have been the most memorable events for Asian in the world’s greatest football showcase.
Here is our 10 Memorable Asian World Cup Moments in chronological order.
1. France 1938: Dutch East Indies - Asia’s World Cup debut
Eight years after the FIFA World Cup was initiated, an Asian team finally made it to the finals. The Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia, took their place in France alongside 14 other teams – 12 from Europe, Cuba and Brazil.
Coached by the Netherlands’ Johannes Van Masterbroek, and fielding mostly native Indonesians and a sprinkling of Dutch players, the team lasted only one match, losing 6-0 to eventual finalists Hungary.
Despite the heavy defeat, it marked the beginning of Asia’s amazing World Cup journey.
2. England 1966: DPR Korea 1 Chile 1 - first Asian goal-scorer
Pak Seung-zin has the honour of being the first Asian to score a goal on the FIFA World Cup stage.
His achievement came in 1966 – a momentous year for DPR Korea and Asian football. When the Koreans lost 3-0 to the Soviet Union in their opening Group D match, it suggested a barren tournament for Asia.
However, Pak set the ball rolling on a fantastic tournament for DPR Korea with his 88th-minute equaliser against Chile on 15 July, 1966.
The 1-1 draw revived Korea’s tournament and helped them qualify for the quarter-finals.
3. England 1966: DPR Korea 1 Italy 0
For more than three decades, DPR Korea’s 1-0 victory over Italy in the group stages of the 1966 World Cup was the definitive global moment for Asian football.
Pak Doo-ik embossed his name on Asian football history with the 42nd-minute goal at Ayersome Park, Middlesbrough, that not only sent DPR Korea into the quarter-finals but eliminated the powerful Italians from the tournament.
The Koreans were involved in another classic in the last eight, going 3-0 up against Portugal before Eusebio engineered a remarkable comeback to give the Portuguese a 5-3 victory.
4. Argentina 1978: Scotland 1 Iran 1
Scotland may not have been world-beaters in 1978 but they had a team packed with top-class British club players from Liverpool (Kenny Dalglish), Manchester United (Martin Buchan, Lou Macari) and soon-to-be European champions Nottingham Forest (Archie Gemmill).
Against strong opposition, World Cup debutants Iran scored twice in Cordoba, Argentina on 7 June. Andranik Eskandarian scored an own goal in the 43rd minute before Iraj Danayfar equalised for Iran after one hour.
It was Iran’s only point of the tournament as they finished bottom of Group D. But their performance against Scotland won the hearts of fans and helped to boost the popularity of football in their country.
5. Mexico 1986: Ahmed Radhi scores for Iraq
Ahmed Radhi’s goal against Belgium was not a winner, neither was it an equaliser. What it did have was deep meaning for a people whose country had been at war for many years.
Iraq qualified for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico despite the conflict with Iran and in their first two Group B matches suffered 1-0 defeats to Paraguay and the hosts. They were 2-0 down to Belgium when Radhi produced his moment of magic, sublimely beating three defenders before crashing the ball into the net from outside the area. The defeats were forgettable but the goal remains etched in the memories of Iraqis to this day.
Saeed Owairan
6. USA 1994: Saudi Arabia 1 Belgium 0
Saeed Owairan received the ball inside his own half in the fifth minute of Saudi Arabia’s do-or-die Group F match against Belgium on June 29 in Washington DC.
He then proceeded on an incredible, mazy, Maradona-esque run that took him past most of the Belgian team and ended with Owairan slotting the ball past keeper Michel Preudhome for one of the most memorable goals in World Cup history.
The result meant the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and Belgium finished on six points. The Saudis joined the Dutch in the next round thanks to their better goal difference, helped by an earlier 2-1 victory over Morocco.
7. France 1998: Iran 2 USA 1: Mahdavikia magic
By the time of the match in Lyon on 21 June, both teams still had a chance to reach the next round. Iran were beaten 1-0 by Yugoslavia in Group F while the US lost 2-0 to Germany.
However, the qualifying consequences were secondary to the political overtones of a match that, though featuring the perceived minnows of world football, managed to pull in a massive television audience.
Hamid Estilli’s headed opener in the 43rd was memorable for its grace but Mahdavikia stole the show with his hair-raising burst of speed down the left in the 84th and the shot that destroyed the Americans, who replied too late three minutes later through Brian McBride.
8. Korea/Japan 2002: Japan 1 Russia 0
More than 50,000 fans had gathered at an outdoor venue in Moscow to watch a giant screen with a live feed from Yokohama of their heroes taking on Japan in a Group H match on 9 June.
But it was the majority of the 66,000 in the stadium who had more to cheer about as Junichi Inamoto scored in the 51st minute to give Japan their first-ever victory in the FIFA World Cup.
They previously drew 2-2 with Belgium and went on to beat Tunisia 2-0 to finish top of the group. The Russians failed to qualify for the last 16.
Ahn Jung-hwan
9. Korea/Japan 2002: Korea Republic reaches semi-finals
Two Korean images of the 2002 FIFA World Cup stand out – Ahn Jung-hwan out-jumping Paolo Maldini in the Round of 16 and the collective euphoria that engulfed the Korea Republic team – and the whole of Asia – after the penalty shootout against Spain in the quarter-finals.
Ahn became the pin-up boy of Asian football after his extra-time Golden Goal that knocked out Italy 2-1 in Daejon on 18 June. This was after Seol Ki-hyun equalised two minutes before the end of regulation, cancelling out Christian Vieri’s 18th-minute opener.
But there was more to come. Korea Republic, having equalled Asia’s previous best performance in a World Cup, were to surpass DPR Korea’s last eight appearance from 1966.
Against Spain in the quarter-finals on June 22 in Gwangju, the match went into a shootout after 120 minutes failed to produce a goal. After Lee Woon-jae saved Spain’s third effort from Joaquin, Hong Myung-bo nailed Korea’s fifth to send an Asian team into the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup for the first time.
10. Korea/Japan 2002: 3rd place play-off, Korea Rep v Turkeyhttp://www.the-afc.com/en/tournament...ld-cup-moments
Friday, 04 June 2010 14:55
Kuala Lumpur: The first time an Asian team appeared in the FIFA World Cup finals was in 1938. Since then, Asian teams have had some great moments on the World Cup stage.
The editors a the-afc.com have gone back in time to pick out what in our opinions have been the most memorable events for Asian in the world’s greatest football showcase.
Here is our 10 Memorable Asian World Cup Moments in chronological order.
1. France 1938: Dutch East Indies - Asia’s World Cup debut
Eight years after the FIFA World Cup was initiated, an Asian team finally made it to the finals. The Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia, took their place in France alongside 14 other teams – 12 from Europe, Cuba and Brazil.
Coached by the Netherlands’ Johannes Van Masterbroek, and fielding mostly native Indonesians and a sprinkling of Dutch players, the team lasted only one match, losing 6-0 to eventual finalists Hungary.
Despite the heavy defeat, it marked the beginning of Asia’s amazing World Cup journey.
2. England 1966: DPR Korea 1 Chile 1 - first Asian goal-scorer
Pak Seung-zin has the honour of being the first Asian to score a goal on the FIFA World Cup stage.
His achievement came in 1966 – a momentous year for DPR Korea and Asian football. When the Koreans lost 3-0 to the Soviet Union in their opening Group D match, it suggested a barren tournament for Asia.
However, Pak set the ball rolling on a fantastic tournament for DPR Korea with his 88th-minute equaliser against Chile on 15 July, 1966.
The 1-1 draw revived Korea’s tournament and helped them qualify for the quarter-finals.
3. England 1966: DPR Korea 1 Italy 0
For more than three decades, DPR Korea’s 1-0 victory over Italy in the group stages of the 1966 World Cup was the definitive global moment for Asian football.
Pak Doo-ik embossed his name on Asian football history with the 42nd-minute goal at Ayersome Park, Middlesbrough, that not only sent DPR Korea into the quarter-finals but eliminated the powerful Italians from the tournament.
The Koreans were involved in another classic in the last eight, going 3-0 up against Portugal before Eusebio engineered a remarkable comeback to give the Portuguese a 5-3 victory.
4. Argentina 1978: Scotland 1 Iran 1
Scotland may not have been world-beaters in 1978 but they had a team packed with top-class British club players from Liverpool (Kenny Dalglish), Manchester United (Martin Buchan, Lou Macari) and soon-to-be European champions Nottingham Forest (Archie Gemmill).
Against strong opposition, World Cup debutants Iran scored twice in Cordoba, Argentina on 7 June. Andranik Eskandarian scored an own goal in the 43rd minute before Iraj Danayfar equalised for Iran after one hour.
It was Iran’s only point of the tournament as they finished bottom of Group D. But their performance against Scotland won the hearts of fans and helped to boost the popularity of football in their country.
5. Mexico 1986: Ahmed Radhi scores for Iraq
Ahmed Radhi’s goal against Belgium was not a winner, neither was it an equaliser. What it did have was deep meaning for a people whose country had been at war for many years.
Iraq qualified for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico despite the conflict with Iran and in their first two Group B matches suffered 1-0 defeats to Paraguay and the hosts. They were 2-0 down to Belgium when Radhi produced his moment of magic, sublimely beating three defenders before crashing the ball into the net from outside the area. The defeats were forgettable but the goal remains etched in the memories of Iraqis to this day.
Saeed Owairan
6. USA 1994: Saudi Arabia 1 Belgium 0
Saeed Owairan received the ball inside his own half in the fifth minute of Saudi Arabia’s do-or-die Group F match against Belgium on June 29 in Washington DC.
He then proceeded on an incredible, mazy, Maradona-esque run that took him past most of the Belgian team and ended with Owairan slotting the ball past keeper Michel Preudhome for one of the most memorable goals in World Cup history.
The result meant the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and Belgium finished on six points. The Saudis joined the Dutch in the next round thanks to their better goal difference, helped by an earlier 2-1 victory over Morocco.
7. France 1998: Iran 2 USA 1: Mahdavikia magic
By the time of the match in Lyon on 21 June, both teams still had a chance to reach the next round. Iran were beaten 1-0 by Yugoslavia in Group F while the US lost 2-0 to Germany.
However, the qualifying consequences were secondary to the political overtones of a match that, though featuring the perceived minnows of world football, managed to pull in a massive television audience.
Hamid Estilli’s headed opener in the 43rd was memorable for its grace but Mahdavikia stole the show with his hair-raising burst of speed down the left in the 84th and the shot that destroyed the Americans, who replied too late three minutes later through Brian McBride.
8. Korea/Japan 2002: Japan 1 Russia 0
More than 50,000 fans had gathered at an outdoor venue in Moscow to watch a giant screen with a live feed from Yokohama of their heroes taking on Japan in a Group H match on 9 June.
But it was the majority of the 66,000 in the stadium who had more to cheer about as Junichi Inamoto scored in the 51st minute to give Japan their first-ever victory in the FIFA World Cup.
They previously drew 2-2 with Belgium and went on to beat Tunisia 2-0 to finish top of the group. The Russians failed to qualify for the last 16.
Ahn Jung-hwan
9. Korea/Japan 2002: Korea Republic reaches semi-finals
Two Korean images of the 2002 FIFA World Cup stand out – Ahn Jung-hwan out-jumping Paolo Maldini in the Round of 16 and the collective euphoria that engulfed the Korea Republic team – and the whole of Asia – after the penalty shootout against Spain in the quarter-finals.
Ahn became the pin-up boy of Asian football after his extra-time Golden Goal that knocked out Italy 2-1 in Daejon on 18 June. This was after Seol Ki-hyun equalised two minutes before the end of regulation, cancelling out Christian Vieri’s 18th-minute opener.
But there was more to come. Korea Republic, having equalled Asia’s previous best performance in a World Cup, were to surpass DPR Korea’s last eight appearance from 1966.
Against Spain in the quarter-finals on June 22 in Gwangju, the match went into a shootout after 120 minutes failed to produce a goal. After Lee Woon-jae saved Spain’s third effort from Joaquin, Hong Myung-bo nailed Korea’s fifth to send an Asian team into the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup for the first time.
10. Korea/Japan 2002: 3rd place play-off, Korea Rep v Turkeyhttp://www.the-afc.com/en/tournament...ld-cup-moments
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