Lebanon 1 - Iran 0; Uzbekistan 2 - South Korea 2

Uzbekistan welcomed Group One leaders South Korea to Tashkent in the third qualifier of round four for both sides.  Uzbekistan are off to a much slower start than anticipated, but South Korea entered with a 100 percent record with six points from two matches played.  Uzbekistan came out with a purpose early on, and their reward came before the quarter hour mark.  Sanjar Tursonov flicked on an underhit corner, which was then dealt with poorly by a South Korea defender as he headed into his own net.  The Taegeuk Warriors were not about to rush or alter their game plan in panic.  Perhaps they should have, for Tursonov found himself loose in the box after he shook his marker to the ground, but his rocket shot was palmed away by an alert goalkeeper, Jung Sung-Ryong.  Near the conclusion of play, a long South Korean free kick was misread by the Uzbekistan goalkeeper, and Kwak Tae-Hwi won the header to fire into a vacated net for the equalizer.  The halftime scoreboard read 1-1.

A dozen minutes in, South Korea again took advantage of a missed clearance, this team a defender the culprit when he leaped and missed the ball with his head.  The ball fell to a calm and collected Lee Dong-Gook, who pushed the ball under the goalkeeper for a 2-1 lead to the visitors.  Two minutes later, the score would change again.  On another purposely underhit corner, Tursonov again flicked on a header, except this time he needed no touch from a defender as the ball flew into the net for the goal of the contest.  The 2-2 score was a bit flattering to South Korea at this point, but they looked deserving off a third late in the match. It never came, so the match saw the teams share the spoils 2-2.

An unfancied Lebanon side welcomed Iran to Beirut.  Lebanon had been without captain Roda Antar (pictured, red) for their previous three qualifiers, but he was finally suited up again for this match.  His goalkeeper Abbas Hassan kept Lebanon in contention with a sharp save.  It was a Lebanon free kick swung to the back post by Mohammad Haidar that found Antar's head.  Antar, leaning away from goal, snapped his header just hard enough to elude any touch as it nestled itself in the net and in Lebanese history.  Lebanon took the 1-0 advantage in their locker room.

Upon returning, a revitalized Iran was in control of the second half.  Iran's Mohammad Noori had a header cleared off the line and then a volley parried away by Hassan.  Iran captain Javad Nekounam nearly equalized in stoppage time with his own goalkeeper coming into the attack, but the low driven shot was batted aside by Hassan.  Lebanon record the most important win in their history, 1-0 at home to Iran.

South Korea 7 pts +6
Iran 4 pts 0
Qatar 4 pts -2
Lebanon 4 pts -3
Uzbekistan 2 pts -1

Goals
Uzbekistan
Ki Sung-Yeung 13 OG
Sanjar Tursonov 59

South Korea
Kwak Tae-Hwi 43
Lee Dong-Gook 57

Lebanon
Roda Antar 27

Match Reports:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/soccer/wires/09/11/2080.ap.soc.uzbekistan.south.korea.1st.ld.writethru.362/index.html
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jo5w7fRZAxC94_nuBmobWk1hKaAA?docId=CNG.b0a4c50ba027557db7c59fa615ce7509.c31
http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Lebanon-upsets-Iran-1-0-in-WCup-qualifier-3856479.php
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Sports/Football/2012/Sep-11/187519-lebanon-beat-iran-1-0-to-keep-world-cup-hopes-alive.ashx#axzz26Sjx59Va

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=6B9T9l4QGv0 (Uzbekistan v. South Korea)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLMDRqo7sj4 (Lebanon v. Iran)