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Lebanon hammers Thailand, China beats Iraq to keeps pace in Asian Cup qualifying

By: The Associated Press

Posted: 03/22/2013 1:16 PM | Comments: 0 | Last Modified: 03/22/2013 1:41 PM

Lebanon trounced Thailand 5-2 in a 2015 Asian Cup qualifier on Friday to give the country's football fans a much-needed morale boost after their sport was hit by a match-fixing scandal.

Lebanon was in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons after two of its players — Ramez Dayoub and Mahmoud El Ali — were banned for life last month for match-fixing.

Hassan Chaito scored twice and Mohammad Al Haidar added another as Lebanon took a 3-0 lead at the break in Friday's Group B game in Beirut. Hassan Matouk and Abbas Ali Atwi scored the others while Teerasil Dangda and Thithiphan Puangjan replied for the Thais.

Meanwhile, striker Yu Dabao came off the bench to score three minutes into in injury time for China to beat Iraq 1-0 at Changsha Helong Sports Centre.

The victory left China, Iraq and Saudi Arabia level on three points at the top of Group C.

In Group D, Faozi Mubark Ayish's 20th minute strike earned Bahrain a 1-0 victory over Qatar, while Malaysia revived its qualifying hopes by coming from behind to beat Yemen 2-1 win over Yemen at the Shah Alam Stadium in the other group game.

Malaysia substitute Khyril Muhymeen headed a late winner after the visitors had taken an early lead through a fine solo effort by Aiman Al Hagri, only for Azammuddin Akil to tap in an equalizer just before the interval.

In Group E, two goals in as many second-half minutes saw the United Arab Emirates come from a goal down to register a 2-1 win over Uzbekistan at Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium. Shohruh Gadoev gave Mirdjalal Kasimov's side the lead after 16 minutes but goals from Ahmed Khalil and Ali Mabkhout secured the hosts a second straight win after kicking off their campaign with a victory over Vietnam.

Hong Kong, meanwhile, maintained its surprising run, beating Vietnam 1-0 to remain undefeated in the competition in the other group match. Skipper Chan Wai Ho headed the all-important goal just three minutes before the final whistle.

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