Asian champions Iraq and China booked their berths in the next round of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign on Sunday in contrasting fashion.

While Iraq eked out a goalless draw against Pakistan to qualify with an aggregate score of 7-0 (first leg 7-0), China brushed aside Myanmar 4-0 for a big win of 11-0 (first leg 7-0).

Egil Olsen’s Asian champions were held to a surprising draw by minnows Pakistan in Aleppo, Syria, despite a full-strength squad with the likes of Nashat Akram, Hawar Mulla and Mahdi Kareem taking the field at the Al Hamdania Stadium.

In Kuala Lumpur, China were as ruthless as in the first leg. Midfielder Wu Weian scored the first goal on 13 minutes with a header and one minute later Liu Jian fired home a shot from near the penalty box as China pounded the weak Myanmar side from the start.

The efficient China team, under the leadership of their new Serb coach Vladimir Petrovic, spent most of the game in the Myanmar half at the Cheras stadium.


Midfielder Zheng Bin scored the third goal in the 35th minute with a powerful left foot shot from inside the box and four minutes later the towering defender Zhang Yaokun converted a penalty.


In the second-half, China sat back on their 4-0 lead, with Myanmar’s strikers hardly troubling the Chinese goalkeeper Yang Zhi.


Also entering the next round were Tajikistan who pounded Bangladesh 5-0 (first leg 1-1). Numondzhon Khakimov (46, 47, 75), Dzhomikhon Mukhiddinov (50) and Dilshod Vasiev (70) ran riot at the Dushanbe Central Stadium against the hapless Bangladeshis.

Joining Tajikistan will be another Central Asian side Uzbekistan who added a modest 2-0 win to their first leg drubbing of 9-0 of Chinese Taipei in Taipei. Entering the scoresheet for the Uzbeks were Islom Inomov (79) and Ilhomjon Suyonov (89).


In Male, Yemen lost to Maldives 2-0 but managed to make it to the next round on the strength of their 3-0 win in the first leg. Shamveel Qasim (14) and Ali Ashfaq (67) scored for the Maldivians.

In the Himalayan kingdom of Nepal, the hosts lost to Oman 2-0 after Hashim Saleh Mohamed (29) and Mohamed Al Hinai (54) bulged the net for the West Asian side at Kathmandu’s Dashrath Stadium. The first leg had ended 2-0 in favour of Gabriel Calderon’s Oman.

After winning narrowly 3-2 in the first leg, Hong Kong turned on the style against Timor Leste for an impressive 8-1 win at home. Goals from Kwan Yee Lo (2), Sui Ki Chan (5, 78, 85), Sai Ho Cheung (49), Siu Wai Cheng (67, 70) and Ka Wai Lam (83) did the damage.

Turkmenistan drubbed Cambodia 4-1 for an aggregate 5-1 victory in both legs. On the mark for Turkmenistan were Mekan Nasyrov (41), Artur Gevorkyan (49, 66) and Mamedaly Karadanov (74) after Sam El Nasa (12) had opened the scoring for the Cambodians.


FIRST ROUND WINNERS (TILL DATE)

Iraq, China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Oman, Hong Kong, Syria, Thailand, Turkmenistan