Herbert signs on for Brazil 2014

Herbert signs on for Brazil 2014
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New Zealand football coach Ricki Herbert has signed a contract extension tying him to the All Whites until the end of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ campaign.

The deal means Herbert, who took over in 2005, is set to become the All Whites' longest serving coach, New Zealand Football (NZF) said.

"We believe Ricki is the man to see us through the qualifiers and, if things go to plan, on to another Confederations Cup and World Cup," NZF chief executive Grant McKavanagh said.

Herbert's All Whites team was the only side to remain undefeated at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, securing three draws in the group stages but failing to advance to the knockout phase.

To reach the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, New Zealand need to top the Oceania qualification rounds, then win a home-and-away play-off against the fourth placed team in CONCACAF, covering North and Central America and the Caribbean.

Four spots left in Asia

Four spots left in Asia
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The picture of Asia's third qualifying round for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ became clearer after matchday five today, with Australia, Iran and Iraq progressing with a game to spare, joining the already-qualified Japan, Uzbekistan and Jordan in the last ten of the next stage, leaving just four qualifying berths from three groups to be decided.

The penultimate fixture, however, proved to be too little too late for China PR who went out despite winning 4-0 in Singapore, while Korea Republic were dealt a 2-1 blow against Lebanon which saw their celebration parade denied. Join FIFA.com as we review the thrills and spills from across the continent.

The match
Thailand 0-1 Australia
Goals: Brett Holman 76
Despite losing away in Oman four days ago, Australia bounced back to defeat hosts Thailand. Brett Holman's second-half goal was enough for his side to register their fourth win from five games but coach Holger Osieck's visitors didn't have everything their way in Bangkok, where coach Winfried Schafer's side put on a fighting display throughout for their flood-stricken people.

The Thais went forward from the outset and they caused numerous headaches for the Socceroos, with right-winger Suree Sukha particularly potent and coming close to opening the scoring in the first half. At the other end, Josh Kennedy directed several headers on target but it was Holman that provided the difference, nodding home Brett Emerton's cross. While the win secured Australia's path through, it leaves Thailand in a three-way battle for the second qualifying spot with Saudi Arabia and Oman, who shared the spoils in a 0-0 draw at Riyadh.

The surprise
Lebanon 2-1 Korea Republic
Goals: Ali Al Saadi 5, Abbas Atwi 31 (pen); Koo Ja Cheol 20 (pen)
Lebanon continued their stunning run in Group B under German Theo Bucker, avenging their 6-0 defeat in Seoul against Korea Republic by sealing a shocking 2-1 home win. Playing in front of their own supporters, the Lebanese got off to a perfect start when they went ahead on five minutes, centre-back Ali Al Saadi latching onto a rebound to fire into the top corner.

Coach Cho Kwang-Rae's side drew themselves level on 20 minutes courtesy of Koo Ja-Cheol, who equalised from the penalty spot. However, the VfL Wolfsburg midfielder went from hero to villain as he tripped Mahmoud el Ali to gift the rivals a chance of retribution from 12 yards, which Lebanon No10 Abbas Atwi coolly converted to restore their lead. The remainder of the game saw the Taeguk Warriors push hard but the absence of striking-ace Park Chu-Young took its toll as they lacked accuracy in front of goal, with the hosts holding on for a famous victory; their first against the east Asians.

The other attractions
In the section's other game, Kuwait came from behind to down the already-eliminated United Arab Emirates 2-1, pulling themselves back into contention. Fahad Al Enezi struck shortly after the interval to cancel out Ismail Matar's first-half goal, before Walid Abbas put through his own net to gift the hosts a much-needed three points. The result, coupled with Lebanon's win, leaves Group B the only one where both spots are still up for grabs.

In Group A's first game, defender Zheng Zheng netted a brace while Yu Hai and captain Li Weifeng were also on target as a ten-man China crushed hosts Singapore 4-0 for only their second victory. Their hopes, however, lasted just five hours when Iraq negotiated their way though with a 3-1 triumph with Jordan to claim the section's second qualifying spot and confirm China's demise.

Group E front-runners Iran continued their free-scoring form with a comfortable 4-1 win over Indonesia, with their progression confirmed later on by the goalless draw played out between Qatar and Bahrain in Doha. The latter two are left vying for the section’s remaining spot in the concluding matchday on 29 February, where the Bahrainis are facing a must-win match against Indonesia, while the Qataris need just a point against Iran to go through.

Elsewhere, in Group C, already-qualified Japan suffered their first defeat, falling in Pyongyang as hosts Korea DPR recorded a consolation win despite early elimination – Pak Nan Chol heading home the only goal shortly after the restart. In the group’s other game, Uzbekistan recorded a comfortable 3-0 triumph at home against bottom side Tajikistan to move three points clear at the top.

Thirty hopefuls begin road to round three

Thirty hopefuls begin road to round three


Asian minnows rarely take centre stage. However, the continent's second qualifying round for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ provides them with a seldom chance to rub shoulders with the big boys. Fifteen underdogs, including the eight successful sides from the opening round, will challenge higher-ranked rivals over two legs, the first of which will unfold tomorrow, for the right to join Australia, Bahrain, Japan, Korea DPR and Korea Republic in the next phase.

Such meetings invariably used to end in one-sided results, with upsets scarce. With the gap between teams in Asia having narrowed significantly in recent years, though, the favourites can take nothing for granted. FIFA.com previews the ensuing action.

Click on this 'Classic Qualifiers' link to read about some of the most thrilling FIFA World Cup preliminaries in history.

The big game
United Arab Emirates-India

This is without doubt the pick of the contests, given that it is the only one featuring two sides which competed in January's AFC Asian Cup. Both ultimately exited at the group stage, though India can take heart from returning to the competition for the first time since 1984 and United Arab Emirates can draw encouragement from being unlucky to be held to a goalless draw by South Africa 2010 participants, Korea DPR.

The pair have both made fast progress thereafter. Under new coach Armando Colaco, India recently stunned Qatar 2-1, while Srecko Katanec's side thrashed Lebanon 6-2 in a friendly. The South Asians can look to the prolific form of Sunil Chhetri, who was twice on target during the continental finals. For their part, the UAE, with the talismanic Ismail Matar likely to miss out through injury, will entrust striking prodigy Ahmed Khalil, who netted a hat-trick against the Lebanese, with inspiring a home triumph.

Despite the first leg taking place in Al Ain, Colaco wants nothing less than victory. He said: "My players are eager to play the UAE, and we will play to win." Katanec, meanwhile, has fixed his sights on no fewer than an emphatic success: "The India match is a test for us. But the players are confident of building up a big cushion to take to Dehli.

United Arab Emirates have met twice in the FIFA World Cup preliminaries, on the road to Korea/Japan 2002, when they recorded a 1-0 win apiece.

The best of the rest
The aforementioned game is one of eight involving teams who have encountered one another before in FIFA World Cup qualifying. Among them is Iran-Maldives, whose last meeting, in the run-up to France 1998, ended in an astounding 26-0 aggregate victory for Team Melli – a then record in the preliminaries.

This time around, a far tighter contest is expetced. Maldives highlighted their progress with by holding Korea Republic to a goalless draw in qualifying for Germany 2006, before reducing Yemen to a narrow 3-2 aggregate win in their attempt to reach South Africa 2010. That said, Iran, under Carlos Queiroz and captained by Ali Karimi, are still very much the team to beat.

Like Maldives, Vietnam have a score to settle, having been humiliated 4-0 both home and away by Qatar in their debut qualifying appearance in 1994. Their hopes lie on the form of forward Le Cong Vinh, who smashed home seven goals against Macau over two legs. Qatar, spearheaded by their Asian Cup hero Yusef Ahmed, must overcome inconsistency if they are to live up to their billing as the firm favourites.

Inspired by their elimination of Chinese Taipei, Malaysia expect to upstage neighbouring Singapore and seal their first-ever qualification for the third round. With goal-getter Mohd Safee Mohd Sali back to fitness, coach Rajagobal Krishnasamy can field the formidable side which conquered all at last December’s AFF Championship. Radojko Avramovic’s charges do boast the better qualifying record, however, having reached the third stage in their previous attempt for South Africa 2010.

Recent success is not something Thailand can count on when they entertain Palestine in Bangkok. Having failed to progress beyond the group stage in the recent AFF Championship, despite being three-time winners of the tournament, the Land of Smiles, under newly-appointed Winfried Schafer, are desperate to redeem themselves against the West Asians.

Despite progressing with a 5-1 aggregate victory over Sri Lanka, Philippines face an uphill challenge against a Kuwait outfit 57 places above them on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. The Azkals' German coach Michael Weiss told FIFA.com: "We are underdogs in many aspects, but the team are on their top form and we will strive to defy the odds."

Elsewhere, China PR are expected to make light work of Laos, while the same can be said of four-time FIFA World Cup qualifiers Saudi Arabia, who take on Hong Kong. Uzbekistan are hoping to continue their regional authority over Kyrgyzstan, and an easy tie against Yemen should beckon for Iraq, who ran out 9-1 aggregate winners in the sides’ last meeting ahead of USA 1994.

Player to watch
Having established himself as one of south-east Asia's best forwards in recent years, can Le Cong Vinh prove himself on the entire continental stage by steering Vietnam past Qatar?

What they said
"To be honest I was not happy when I learned that we have to face Iran. However, we are not daunted by the task and our target is to play as best as we can and achieve satisfying results," Andres Cruciani, Maldives coach.

Second round, first legs
23 July
Thailand-Palestine
Lebanon-Bangladesh
China PR-Laos
Turkmenistan-Indonesia
Kuwait-Philippines
Oman-Myanmar
Saudi Arabia-Hong Kong
Iran-Maldives
Syria-Tajikistan
Qatar-Vietnam
Iraq-Yemen
Singapore-Malaysia
Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan
United Arab Emirates-India
Jordan-Nepal

The second legs will be played on Thursday 28 July.

Have Your Say
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