UAE set World Cup play-off date with Aussies

DUBAI • The United Arab Emirates will take on Australia in a play-off as they edged closer to a spot at the Qatar World Cup following a 1-0 qualifying victory over South Korea yesterday.

The win, coupled with Iraq's 1-1 draw with Syria, meant that Rodolfo Arruabarrena's side finished third in Group A on 12 points, behind table-toppers Iran (25) and the South Koreans (23). Iraq (nine) had to settle for fourth.

The Iranians ensured that they finished top with a 2-0 win over Lebanon yesterday.

The play-off between the UAE and the Australians will be held in Qatar on June 7, with the winners facing a South American side - Peru, Colombia or Chile - in a one-off clash a week later for a spot at the Finals in November.

The UAE had winger Hareb Abdullah to thank as they stayed on course to reach the World Cup for just the second time in their history - they last qualified for the global showpiece in 1990.

The 19-year-old scored in the 54th minute at the Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai to seal the vital three points.

In Group B, Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu warned his team that they will need to shape up if they are to meet their target of reaching the World Cup quarter-finals after drawing 1-1 with Vietnam in their final qualifier yesterday.

Japan booked their place at a seventh straight World Cup with a win against Australia last week, but they ended their campaign on a flat note at home to a Vietnam team who had taken just four points from 10 games in the group.

Moriyasu said he wants his side to reach at least the last eight for the first time in Qatar, but he is looking for improvement after fielding an experimental line-up against Vietnam.

"I have to look at the future but I also need to make sure that we take each game as it comes," said Moriyasu, who watched his captain Maya Yoshida miss a gilt-edged chance late in the game after cancelling out Nguyen Thanh Binh's 19th-minute opener in the second half.

"We clinched our World Cup place last week but there are still things that we need to work on.

"We have a target but that doesn't mean that we won't look at the things in the near future.

"The players did their best but we needed to function as a team. It was a little bit difficult for the players on the pitch today. We didn't really have much time to prepare with this line-up, but all the players need to be ready."

Herve Renard's Saudi Arabia are the other side who had clinched the second automatic qualification spot in Group B.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS