China through, N Korea out, Jordan fume
Triumph, heartbreak, controversy mark Asian Cup
Wu Xi (R) of China celebrates his goal during the first round Asian Cup soccer match between China and Uzbekistan at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. PHOTO: AFP
MELBOURNE:
Super-sub Sun Ke fired China into the Asian Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday as North Korea crashed out and Jordan fumed over a botched dope test that left a player ill.
Sun's superb solo effort after 68 minutes, moments after coming on, gave China a pulsating 2-1 victory over Uzbekistan and sent them into the knock-out stages for the first time since 2004.
But there was bitter disappointment for North Korea, who scored their first Asian Cup goal for 23 years but still lost 4-1 to Saudi Arabia and were eliminated.
Away from the pitch, Jordan lodged a formal protest after claiming a bungled doping procedure had left one of their players vomiting, in a ‘semi-coma’ and suffering with hypothermia.
Striker Ahmad Hayel could miss the game against Palestine tomorrow after he was made to drink "several litres of water" as he tried to provide a urine sample following Monday's 1-0 defeat by Iraq, according to the Jordanian Football Association.
Super-sub Sun Ke fired China into the Asian Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday as North Korea crashed out and Jordan fumed over a botched dope test that left a player ill.
Sun's superb solo effort after 68 minutes, moments after coming on, gave China a pulsating 2-1 victory over Uzbekistan and sent them into the knock-out stages for the first time since 2004.
But there was bitter disappointment for North Korea, who scored their first Asian Cup goal for 23 years but still lost 4-1 to Saudi Arabia and were eliminated.
Away from the pitch, Jordan lodged a formal protest after claiming a bungled doping procedure had left one of their players vomiting, in a ‘semi-coma’ and suffering with hypothermia.
Striker Ahmad Hayel could miss the game against Palestine tomorrow after he was made to drink "several litres of water" as he tried to provide a urine sample following Monday's 1-0 defeat by Iraq, according to the Jordanian Football Association.