Not a great day for the big boys in Asian World Cup 2010 Qualification yesterday. Three time Asian champion and World Cup finals regulars Saudi Arabia went down 3-0 to Uzbekistan, who exited World Cup 2006 qualification in controversial circumstances after their 1-0 win over Bahrain was voided due to a refereeing mistake. But with [...]

Middlesbrough keeper Mark Schwarzer was the hero for Australia yesterday in the Asian World Cup Qualifying Group 1 (the group of death) after very nearly screwing everything up. The Socceroos had traveled to Kunming to face China in a huge game for both teams. Tim Cahill and - shock! - Harry Kewell had pulled out [...]

When World Cup qualifying resumes in Asia on March 26th, there’s arguably only one game worth watching. North Korea vs South Korea. Especially if the drama and tension on the field can match what’s been happening off the field. The controversy so far: North Korea are the home team, but won’t allow South Korean to display [...]

Who’d want to be a foreign coach in the Middle East? Yesterday it seemed that Javier Clemente had settled his differences with Iran and agreed to live in the country full time. Today we learn that Clemente agreed to no such thing. So now both Iran and Clemente are back where they started and the March [...]

Despite Nigeria’s abysmal performance at the Africa Cup of Nations, Berti Vogts still hasn’t been fired. Nigeria entered as one of the favourites but left as the biggest disappointment. They only decent 45 minutes Nigeria pput together came after Vogts was apparently udermined in the dressing room at halftime by Nigerian sports minister Amos Adamu. It’s [...]

Ireland have landed Giovanni Trapatonni as their new manager, hoping the Italian’s experience will be enough to lead them to World Cup 2010 qualification. His big opponent in World Cup qualification Group 8? Italy, of course. It’s a big ask, but you’ll have to agree that Ireland have made the right move by replacing Steve [...]

Javier Clemente has signed a contract to manage Iran through World Cup 2010 qualification, but has fallen out with his new bosses before even getting his feet under the desk. Mostly because he wants his desk to stay in Spain. Seems Clemente’s plan was to live at home in Bilbao and then travel to Tehran [...]

It’s all been very Africa Cup of Nations here on World Cup Blog lately, but turns out there are other continents that play the beautiful game too. One of those continents is Asia, where the World Cup 2010 qualifying process got going again today. We’re now at the Fourth Round, which means five groups [...]

The World Cup 2010 qualifying draw was not kind to China. In the first round of Asian qualifying China were drawn in Group Five alongside Australia, Asian Cup holders Iraq and Asian Games champions Qatar. Only the top two teams go through to the second stage of qualifying, and so Group Five has been dubbed [...]

The Socceroos finally have a new manager and it’s…. another Dutchman. Pim Verbeek is the man chosen to guide the Aussies through their first Asian World Cup qualification experience, with the obvious goal of being amongst the 32 teams taking up hotel space in South Africa come 2010. Fellow Dutchman Guus Hiddink is arguably Australia’s [...]