JEDDAH, 26 September 2003 — The three matches played yesterday in the King Fahd Cup Premier Soccer League ended in victories for fancied teams with all recording identical 3-0 verdicts. Champions Al-Ittihad still kept their slate clean with yet another virtuoso display, though they started on a low key only to end on a high note.
In Hail, Ittihad blasted Al-Taie 3-0 with Gillermi notching a hat trick with strikes in 23rd, 78th and 90th minutes. Ittihad are perched on the top of the league with 18 points from six matches — winning all six in a row — just before the league takes a break from today. The games will resume on Oct. 18.
Al-Hilal defeated Al-Shoala in Kharj 3-0 with Shaloub scoring in the 24th minute, followed by Abdullah Al-Jamaan’s 26th minute header and the tally rounded off by Al-Anezi’s solo effort in the 65th minute. Hilal jump to the fifth rung with nine points. Though they have the same points as Al-Wehda, Hilal are one step down on goal difference.
Al-Nasr then got into the 3-0 act with a romp against Al-Riyadh at the Prince Faisal ibn Fahd Stadium in Riyadh. Janoubi set the ball rolling with a goal in the 30th minute, and this was embellished by Mohsin Al-Harithy in the 77th minute. Trillio struck Nasr’s third in the 90th minute to give his side a comfortable victory. Nasr with 16 points are in second position with Riyadh in 11th spot.
South Korea Beat Vietnam 5-0
in Asian Cup Qualifier
Agency adds: In Seoul, strikers Kim Do-hoon and Kim Dae-ui were both on target as South Korea opened their Asian Cup qualifying campaign with a 5-0 demolition of Vietnam yesterday.
Missing their European-based players, hosts South Korea began slowly and took until the 34th minute to take the lead in their Group E opener through defender Lee Ki-hyung. But it was a different story after the break as the 2002 World Cup semifinalists added four more goals at Incheon World Cup Stadium through Cho Jae-jin, the two Kims and Woo Sung-yong.
Earlier, at the same venue, Fawzi Doorbeen and Ahmed Mukhaini both scored twice as Oman crushed Nepal 7-0 to go top of the group on goal difference.
In Doha, Qatar coach Philippe Troussier was left lamenting a costly lapse in concentration after his side gifted Palestine a last-minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw in Group B on Wednesday. Mohammed Aziz snatched a late equalizer from close range to give the Palestinians a point from an ill-tempered match. Qatar finished the match with 10 men after Abdullah Kouni was sent off for violent conduct in the 78th minute.
Frenchman Troussier, who took Japan to the last 16 of the World Cup last year, has yet to win in three qualifying matches and Qatar are second with two points, five adrift of group leaders Kuwait.
