The last week of AFC World Cup/Asian Cup qualifiers has been dominated by questions over the plight of the so-called minnows of the region after a thoroughly destructive day of matches on Thursday saw a number of hidings, including a 15-0 victory over Bhutan for Qatar, a 10-0 win for UAE over Malaysia and a 9-0 slaughtering of Myanmar at the hands of Kuwait. While the initial reaction is that the continent is far too stretched in terms of quality and that something needs to be done to irradiate such humiliation, the fact remains that this is the first cycle of such a format and that these types of matches need to be ridden out if any progress is to be made. Amongst the supposed cavern of ability there were however those players and teams that highly impressed as we head closer to the half way point of Round 2 qualification.
The Player
While there’s been plenty of talk of enlightening stories of overachievement from the likes of Guam and the Philippines during the early days of World Cup Qualification, the progression of Syria has slowly been boiling away under the surface with little attention. This is a telling surprise given when the draw was held earlier this year, Syria became every Asian footballing hipster’s go-to team for a potential outside bet, mainly due to the spearhead of Omar Al-Somah in the Syrian attack. The striker’s subsequent snub of national team duties has tailed off their interest, but Syria have continued unabated since the start of their campaign, much to do with their attacking linchpin Sanharib Malki.
This week was a masterclass in influence from the winger who is capable playing anywhere across the line for Syria. Over the two match days he scored one and assisted four, but for an early penalty miss against Cambodia it would’ve be a blemish free period. His link up play with the younger Syrian generation has been crucial, the likes of Omar Khribin (3 goals so far in qualifying) and Mahmoud Al Mawas (notched his first of the campaign against Cambodia) both found space and converted chances due to Malki’s great vision. His masterclass was truly on hand most pertinently on Thursday, turning round a play that was going nowhere into the winning goal for Khribin over Singapore.
Syria’s consistency in form has seen them continue to the near half way point of the group stage, with a 100% record and without conceding a goal. All this can be given even higher credence, given their home matches are being played outside of the country and the resulting psychological affect it must be having on the players of war within the region that has brought their humanitarian cause into greater focus across the Western world over the last few weeks.
Syria’s final opponent of the first half of the campaign sees them “host” Japan before Afghanistan make the same journey to their adopted home of Muscat in what will be a crucial set of October qualifiers. After observing Singapore’s success in shutting out Japan in August, Syria’s substantially solider defence with an impressive counter headed by Malki could cause a whole load of problems for Halilhodzic’s men next month. All this makes you question if they are truly better off without Al-Somah after all?
The Team
Rebuilding has been the buzz word around Uzbekistan for the last 12 months, and while it’s at times looked a struggle, this week’s action could been seen at least as a partial breakthrough into the process. Samvel Babayan in his first competitive matches as head coach picked up two wins from two to well and truly fling Uzbekistan into Round 3 progression contention after a pretty average start to the campaign last month.
Some of the same struggles that had been felt by the team in the months previous under Mirjalol Qosimov were again on show in their first home match of qualification against Yemen. But for a stunning Aleksandr Geynrikh free kick they could’ve been in further trouble, however early inspiration from the dugout suggests their character. Geynrikh, an Uzbek legend who was back in the squad for the first time in two years was introduced for Server Djeparov at the break going on to make an instant impression in the second half. Many have bemoaned the lack of urgency in refreshing the squad, while Geynrikh is another of the old guard, Babayan’s willingness to shake things up is admirable.
A much improved performance was in store for their second encounter of the week as they refreshingly pushed former group leaders Philippines aside 5-1 in their own back yard amidst horrendous weather conditions in Bulacan. Uzbekistan took no time to steady themselves on a water bathed pitch, making light work of possession and creating their breakthrough via new national team captain Odil Akhmedov. Braces followed for target man Igor Sergeev, who’s well and truly made the centre forward role his own with his incisive runs in behind and towering presence, sandwiched by the same feat from mercurial talent Sardar Rashidov, who conjured two blunderbusses to ensure victory. A stunning display of their true capabilities, Uzbekistan are looking set to meet their lofty ambitions after a stunted start.
The Talking Point
It’s fair to say this has been one of the grimmest weeks in Malaysian football history. A 10-0 humiliation, a managerial resignation and a forced abandoned match all added to a woeful week that leaves Malaysia rooted to the bottom of their qualifying group below the likes of Timor-Leste. Oh to be a follower of the Malayan Tigers at the moment, a desperate position for any Asian football fan, to see a nation of Malaysia’s standing in its own region to fall so far behind the pack, whilst enviably glancing at neighbouring Thailand and Philippines reaping the rewards of careful planning and development.
The 10-0 reverse in the Emirates kick started the nightmare, and even for an observer with no connection with Malaysia, it was incredibly hard watching. Flow after flow, UAE continued to create and finish off chance after chance, notwithstanding the limp defensive efforts of the Malaysian defenders. The desperation shown on the pitch wasn’t isolated to the 11 involved, it transferred onto the bench. Coach Dollah Salleh, who handed his resignation straight after the defeat looked a withdrawn figure on the side-lines, reacting bizarrely throughout including replacing his keeper not once but twice during the 90 minutes in his failed attempts to stop the onslaught.
The performance resulted in an immense outcry from within the country leading to further calls for the axe to be wielded further towards the Sports Minister and FA chief. Their cases weren’t at all helped by Tuesday’s encounter against Saudi Arabia. Given, the improvement in performance was tangible, Malaysia will count themselves unlucky to see it end as it did, they even took the lead during the second half, before the Saudis immediately responded scoring two within 5 minutes to turn around the tie. This was too much for the home Malaysian crowd to take as they turned on the team, raining flares down onto the pitch forcing the game into abandonment. Future sanctions are expected to come their way, with possible stadium bans and/or point deductions to follow.
So where do we go from here? It could be argued that this has been a long overdue wakeup call that requires an extensive root and branch evaluation of the Malaysian footballing set up. When you consider that Malaysia aren’t a side full of amateurs, all are adequately paid in a professional league set up, but their performances have often seen them appear like part-timers. The next coaching appointment is important of course, but the improvement in league structure alongside FA reform maybe the first port of call. The only saving grace, is that come rain or shine Malaysia will still have at the very least a two legged playoff next year to make it through to Round 3 Asian Cup qualification. Whether their performances by the beginning part of 2016 will have improved, it’s looking highly unlikely at the moment.
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