AFC First Round
World Cup '98
Qualification

It was unfortunate that not all countries in this First Round AFC round-up were allowed to play home and away matches versus teams in their group.

Saudi Arabia didn't have much of a problem qualifying here exept that is was Malaysia who failed to beat Taiwan in Saudi Arabia, then their tie versus that latter team at home gave Saudi Arabia all the advantage it needed to take this group.

Iran qualified confortably here as you can see. There are very interesting statistics here though: the highest scoring match for qualifying to France '98: Iran 17 - Maldives 0. The Maldives also have the absolutely worse record for this World Cup qualification phase. Also, there was a no show in this group: failure to arrive on time: this was Kyrgyzstan versus Syria in Iran. This should have taken place in Syria though. All countries should be allowed to play in their country for home matches. I have to bring this to the attention to FIFA's World Cup's organization committee. Maybe I can get something going.

UAE won this hansomly: one tie and only one goal conceeded. Jordan and Bahrain, both Middle Eastern countires, could have done better. Jordan's results surprised me. UAE then failed to qualify in the second round. So to each team in this group: Keep patient.. even if you don't qualify to some of the next World Cups, you will eventually qualify, and there will be many World Cups for that :).

Japan could have been the only nation to qualify conceeding no goals and going undefeated in a round robin. Japan's tie to Oman at home was their last qualifying match in this round, and it made them start on a shaky note in the following round. They did qualify to France 98 but how!! They barely made it though I think they are a good team; they deserve to go to France 98. They have tough opposition though: Argentina, Croatia, and then first time qualifiers Jamaica too!

Uzbekistan is surprise first place finisher here.. I thought it would have been Yeman, but no... Indonesia too did a fine showing for this qualifying group.. For several weeks I thought they would be the ones possibly representing this group in the second round.. Too many ties I guess, and tying Uzbekistan AND Cambodia sure did not help them very much for their qualification.. but had they too been given the opportunity to play at home versus on foreign soil for their home games... it would have been much different indeed, don't you think?!! Not that they would necessarily make it afterwards in the second round.. but you can't deprive someone of their rights, can you?!! I wouldn't, and I hope you wouldn't either!!! Yes, it is my way of being fair.. I want all to be fair so that that way, the best can ACTUALLY win!! Or the luckiest may win too when both sides are equally good.

South Korea, didn't have much of a fight here, did it?!! But their tie 0-0 at home versus Thailand?!!! Come on SK's!! Some dignity tout de meme!!! Til the day 'we' get to travel to many parts of the world and in no time too, in a very little fatiguing way too.., South Korea, I know this, but you guys will have to play other 'better' nations to improve your overall performances in a whole.. Australia is complaining that they are all alone down in their continent.. They aren't that far away from you.. Meet them half-way, or meet in each of your's countries, and play each other for God's s...!! :) You will do well, I think and I hope, at this World Cup.. You have always come so close to becoming a better known nation.. but that's what the World Cup's all about, isn't it?!! :) Getting to know each other and sharing in a sport that anyone can play but it must be the country's discipline to choose its best players and make them compete and win versus other nations, right?.. Right.. :)

Kuwait surprised me here just because there was Lebanon in this group too. But I know Kuwait is good, they were in Spain 82! I thought Lebanon would be more of a force to wrecken with, but no. Nicely though, Kuwait's the only nation to have completed a round robin without a loss or a tie.. they did concede one goal though, making no team absolutely perfect. Kuwait then failed to qualify in the final round but they came close!

China, proud winners here, especially in front of Tajikistan (their first appearence ever in a World Cup), who proved to be a winning team just like Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, also first time competitors in World Cup Qualifying.

Kazakhstan.. well done Kasakhstan!! :) You won all of your matches too.. being in Iraq's group must have been a little 'tensing', but because they have so many problems today, I'm sure it's because their players aren't on top form that they didn't give you a little harder time in the qualifying.. BUT IF it's not true, then please demonstrate this to me again, and again and again, many times again :), that you are a great soccer nation and that one day you will represent Asia in the World Cup.. :) You didn't do so bad in the 2nd round though.. Keep playing hard and winning!

Another small three nation group, only this one didn't have home and away matches!, not even in one country alone! How pathetic! I hope this changes one day. Each nation in the world deserves at least four games played. I'll propose a qualifying schedule to FIFA one day. If money's a problem, FIFA should help in! But this is a sport guys, not politics or money! Play the sufficient games. Who knows, maybe you'll be in the World Cup one day too! I don't think it's fair for nations like Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino, to play ten qualifying matches and you guys only two. I'll be happy when this gets solved.