Win Over China Puts Kuwait In Pole

        在2006年世界杯亚洲预选赛中，中国队客场0-1负于科威特队，将小组头名位置拱手让于对手，并使自己在争夺进入预选赛决赛的资格中处于极其不利的位置。

A stunning goal by Waleed Ali gave Kuwait a 1-0 win over China on Wednesday, sending the Middle Eastern side to the top of their World Cup 2006 qualifying group and putting them into a strong position to qualify for the final round of the Asian qualifiers.

The Kuwaiti midfielder found the back of the Chinese net three minutes into the second half with a sweetly struck right foot drive into the top right corner of the Chinese net. The winning goal was set up by Yaquob Al Taher who beat defender Sun Xiang on the right flank before sending in a cross which was tipped away from striker Bashar Abdullah by the Chinese goalkeeper. Bashar readjusted himself though and nodded the ball back into the path of Waleed, who hammered the ball home from the edge of the Chinese box. The Kuwaitis had gone into the match needing nothing less than a win to keep their World Cup dreams alive. After Waleed Ali's goal as Kuwait sat back to defend their lead, goalkeeper Shabab Kankone was called into action to tip the ball away from a charging Shao Jiayi and the Kuwaitis had another scare when Shao flicked on a long ball into the danger area, just out of reach of Li Yi and Li Jinyu. Kuwait were content to play on the counter-attack in the closing stages but could have extended the lead as Bashar missed two excellent opportunities. The Kuwait skipper broke the Chinese offside trap in the 75th minute to run clear on goal only to see his shot tipped over by the goalkeeper and then failed to convert a cross from just eight yards away as he turned the ball over the crossbar. The Kuwaitis avenged their 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Chinese in Guangzhou in February and Mohammed Ibrahim's side now lead Group 4 on goal difference. They next take on last-placed Malaysia on November 17 and can clinch a place in the final qualifying round if they can at least match China's result against Hong Kong on the same evening. Wednesday's other Group 4 fixture saw Hong Kong completing the double over Malaysia with a 2-0 win at the Mongkok Stadium. Siu Kei Chu opened the scoring in the fifth minute before Chun Yue Wong settled matters with Hong Kong's second five minutes into the second half. Malaysia have yet to pick up a point in Group 4 and their woeful evening was complete when striker Akmal Rizal Rakhli was sent off 11 minutes from time.