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Qatar to pick up the pieces
Qatar fans unleash fury and bottles on players and referee.
Last Modified: 02 Dec 2006 22:54 GMT

Calm before the storm: Qatar fans watch their side in action (Picture: Steve Wilson)

If Qatar had wanted to use the Asian Games to show the world its hospitality, they should hope they weren't watching the home side's football fixture against Uzbekistan.
Players and referees were showered with plastic bottles during the final ten minutes as Qatari fans vented their frustration at their side's inability to find an equaliser against a stoic Uzbek defence.

It was a testament to referee Krishnan Ramachandran's patience that the match lasted its scheduled 90 minutes as Qatar players pleaded with fans to cease hurling bottles of soft drink as the closing stages descended into farce.

Uzbek midfielder Alexander Geynrikh had brought an early end to homeside's good will when he broke the deadlock in the 67th when he won a scramble to the ball and prodded it past Mohamed Saqr Ahmed in the Qatar goal.

Striker Timur Kapadze nearly extended the lead when his looping header from a free kick came back off the post with 15 minutes remaining.

Qatar striker Abdulla Obaid Koni saw a deflected shot drift wide during six minutes of injury time as Uzbekistan held on to top the group.

The introduction of AFC Player of the Year Khlafan Ibrahim in the second half brought the passionate crowd to its feet, but their dreams quickly turned to nightmares as Geynrikh played party pooper.

In other matches, Bahrain moved to the top of group B and booked their place in the quarterfinals with a 5-1 hammering of Bangladesh.

Goals in either half from Hamad Alenezi and Abdullah Almutawa earned Kuwait a 2-0 victory against Palestine and secured their place in the quarterfinals alongside group C leaders Thailand.

Ismaeel Abdullatif scored twice while Mohamed Husain notched a brace, including a 39th minute penalty. Sayed Mohamed Adnan added a fifth before Zahid Hossain claimed a late consolation for Bangladesh.

Source:
Al Jazeera
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