Iraq hit Indonesia for six and will look for more goals against SingaporeOpening-day winners Kyrgyzstan and Iraq will seek to virtually seal their places in the next round of the 15th Asian Games football tournament as the second games of round 1 take place later today, Tuesday 21 November.

Kyrgyzstan crashed seven goals without reply past Macau, China in its Group A opening game at the Al Wakra Sports club on Saturday 18 November – with six goals coming in a second-half in which Macau faded badly – and will look for a similar stunning performance in the 18:00 (Qatar time) kick-off against Jordan, which drew 0-0 with Tajikistan in its first game.

Jordan dominated the encounter though and Kyrgyzstan coach Boris Podkorytov, wary of a potential slip up, views Jordan as a real threat to his team’s qualification to the second round. A win, however, would virtually see Kyrgyzstan go through, having clocked up such an impressive goal difference in the opening game.

The other Group A game, scheduled for a 16:00 kick off at Al Wakra Sports Club, will see Tajikistan take on Macau, China. A Tajikistan victory would keep its hopes of qualification to round 2 alive regardless of the result in the later group game.

In Group B Iraq will look to build on the three points it took in its opening game 6-0 thrashing of Indonesia against a Singapore team which drew 0-0 in its first game against Syria.

The Syrians will fancy their chances in the earlier 16:00 game against Indonesia, which seeped six goals against Iraq. Another convincing win for highly-fancied Iraq in the later game at 18:00 should virtually secure its entry into round 2.

Both Group B matches are being played at Al-Ahli Sports Club.

All round 1 group games finish on Friday 24 November.

(dohaasiangames.org November 21, 2006)