SAITAMA // Keiji Tamada scored just before half-time for Japan to salvage a 1-1 draw with Uzbekistan in Group One today. Maksim Shatskikh scored Uzbekistan's first goal of the final qualifying round to give the visitors a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute when he took a pass from Timur Kapadze and beat Japan goalkeeper Seigo Narazaki. Japan equalized in the 40th minute when Yoshito Okubo picked up a cross from Celtic's Shunsuke Nakamura and fed an unmarked Tamada, who beat Uzbekistan goalkeeper Ignatiy Nesterov.
"Okubo made a nice play to get me the ball and all I had to do was knock it in," Tamada said. "We got off to a slow start and should have been able to get the win at home." It was Uzbekistan's first point of the round after losses away to Qatar and at home to Australia, but they still remain in contention for a World Cup spot. Japan continue to have trouble finding the back of the net and couldn't capitalize on numerous scoring opportunities in the second half.
They had a similar problem in last week's 1-1 friendly draw with the UAE, wasting a hatful of golden openings. "We didn't take advantage of our chances," the Japan coach Takeshi Okada said. "It's a disappointing result for us and we'll have to do better." Marcus Tulio Tanaka had the best chance for Japan midway through the second half with a header into the hands of the Nestervo, who made several superb saves to help his team secure their point.
The top two teams from each of two five-team groups will automatically qualify for the 2010 finals in South Africa. Japan now have four points in Group A, tied with Qatar and two behind the leaders Australia. Japan play Qatar next on Nov 19. Uzbekistan won't play their next World Cup qualifier until February, when they host Bahrain. * AP