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WINNER: Javad Kazemian scores the winner in Iran's come-from-behind win over Uzbekistan. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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JAKARTA - A CONTROVERSIAL penalty earned Saudi Arabia a share of the spoils as they drew 1-1 in a 'group of death' Asian Cup showdown against South Korea yesterday.
But the Group D match was marred by a floodlight failure that hit with just five minutes of the match remaining.
The game was held up for 25 minutes, causing major embarrassment to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and co-hosts Indonesia.
In Kuala Lumpur, the drama was confined to the pitch, where substitute Javad Kazemian struck in the 77th minute to give triple champions Iran a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Uzbekistan in their Group C match.
In front of a paltry crowd, the usually steady Iranian defender Rahman Rezaei put his country on the rack with a first-half own goal.
Seyed Jalal Hosseini rescued them with the equaliser on 55 minutes, before Kazemian took the points with a late winner.
Fiery Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei lived up to his reputation when he was sent off late in the match for throwing a water bottle.
The Saudis had their chances but, as the half wore on, South Korea gradually took control.
Korea struck after 66 minutes. Yeom Ki Hun played the ball from the left to the post, where the diminutive Choi Sung Kuk out-muscled Osama Hawsawi to flick a header into the bottom corner of the net.
The Koreans were looking good for their first victory over the Gulf side in 18 years, until Oh Beom Seok was harshly judged to have pulled down striker Malek Maaz in the box 13 minutes from time. Yasser Al-Qahtani made sure of the equaliser from the spot.
Not long after, Australian referee Mark Shield stopped the game as the lights went out.
Both teams moved to the side of the pitch as AFC officials huddled to work out what to do with a global television audience watching.
As the clock ticked, Shield conferred with match commissioner Tokuaki Suzuki of Japan and agreed to resume the game when some of the lights, but not all, came back on.
Said AFC director of communication Clare Kenny Tipton: 'I'm told there was a power cut in areas across Jakarta, not just here. There is a back-up generator and, fortunately, the match was able to resume.'
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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