Qatar makes early headway in Asia

Bangkok (Reuters) Qatar and surprise package North Korea clinched early wins to move to the top of the two Asian groups in World Cup qualifying on Saturday.

Qatar got off to a flying start in Group One when they pounded Asia's in-form team Uzbekistan 3-0, while North Korea snatched the Group Two lead after beating the United Arab Emirates 2-1 in Abu Dhabi.

Japan had looked set for an emphatic win over Bahrain to get their stuttering campaign in order but conceded two goals in an embarrassing three-minute meltdown for a jittery 3-2 win.

Osasuna midfielder Javad Nekounam scored a late equaliser to earn Iran a 1-1 draw with fellow World Cup regulars Saudi Arabia to take a share of second place in Group Two.

Qatar's campaign has been under a cloud after they fielded an ineligible player in an earlier round but they showed no signs of concern in Doha, putting three goals past the Uzbeks, the top scorers in the competition.

Happy

Majdi Siddiq put them ahead on 37 minutes. Magid Hassan added another goal in the 73rd minute before Talal Al Bloushi rounded off the win with four minutes remaining.

"Everything clicked as we had planned," Qatar Uruguayan coach Jorge Fossati told reporters.

"The goals came at the right time, the substitutions were made at the right time. I'm happy with the result."

Qatar are awaiting a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over whether they breached competition rules by fielding naturalised Brazilian Emerson in a match in March.

North Korea put on a solid defensive display against the UAE.

Japan, under fire after unconvincing performances in the previous round, did themselves no favours in the dying minutes of a thrilling match in Manama.

Celtic's Shunsuke Nakamura converted a free kick and Yasuhito Endo a penalty to put Japan two up at the break and Kengo Nakamura added another goal with five minutes remaining.

However, Bahrain pulled one back two minutes later through Salman Eisa before Tulio headed the ball into his own goal in a dismal end to Japan's match.

The top two teams in each group earn berths at the 2010 finals in South Africa, with another spot available to the fifth-placed team if they can overcome Oceania champions New Zealand in a playoff.