example, is squeezing 38 games
into a season that is a month shorter
than usual. To have the likes of Son
Heung-min tearing around European
pitches and then facing mammoth trips
all around Asia is not going to keep
the continent’s star player fresh. His
international boss, Paulo Bento, needs
him just as much – if not more so –
as his club boss,Jose Mourinho.
Some teams are better off than
others. Australia have been perfect so
far in the second round and would really
have to slip up not to finish top and go
to the next stage. They may be able to
take things a little easier than some
others such as South Korea. The Taeguk
Warriors should end up topping their
group but still have work to do as, after
drawswithNorthKoreaandLebanon,
they are behind Turkmenistan.
China, eight points behind Syria, are
already out of the running for first and
hoping to secure a best runner-up spot.
In normal times, the Chinese Super
League would stop for the best part
of a month for the final four clashes.
That may not be possible now but
that is a problem for next year –
as is everything else.
It should be pointed out that this
hectic schedule depends on there being
no further waves of coronavirus. A full
to bursting calendar may be demanding
but it is better than none at all.Asia’s World Cup qualifying group
stage is already underwayGROUP A
P W D L Pts
Syria 5 5 0 0 15
China 4 2 1 1 7
Philippines 5 2 1 2 7
Maldives 5 2 0 3 6
Guam 5 0 0 5 0
GROUP B
P W D L Pts
Australia 4 4 0 0 12
Kuwait 5 3 1 1 10
Jordan 5 3 1 1 10
Nepal 5 1 0 4 3
Chinese Taipei 5 0 0 5 0
GROUP C
P W D L Pts
Iraq 5 3 2 0 11
Bahrain 5 2 3 0 9
Iran 4 2 0 2 6
Hong Kong 5 1 2 2 5
Cambodia 5 0 1 4 1
GROUP D
P W D L Pts
Uzbekistan 5 3 0 2 9
Saudi Arabia 4 2 2 0 8
Singapore 5 2 1 2 7
Yemen 5 1 2 2 5
Palestine 5 1 1 3 4
GROUP E
P W D L Pts
Qatar 5 4 1 0 13
Oman 5 4 0 1 12
Afghanistan 5 1 1 3 4
India 5 0 3 2 3
Bangladesh 4 0 1 3 1
GROUP F
P W D L Pts
Japan 4 4 0 0 12
Kyrgyzstan 5 2 1 2 7
Tajikistan 5 2 1 2 7
Myanmar 5 2 0 3 6
Mongolia 5 1 0 4 3
GROUP G
P W D L Pts
Vietnam 5 3 2 0 11
Malaysia 5 3 0 2 9
Thailand 5 2 2 1 8
UAE 4 2 0 2 6
Indonesia 5 0 0 5 0
GROUP H
P W D L Pts
Turkmenistan 5 3 0 2 9
South Korea 4 2 2 0 8
Lebanon 5 2 2 1 8
North Korea 5 2 2 1 8
Sri Lanka 5 0 0 5 0THE STANDINGS
WORLD SERVICEMomentum...Vietnam
are attempting to
qualify for their
first World CupU p d a t e
Knackered...Son Heung-min will
have a heavy workload in 2021