World cup qualifying continued on Thursday afternoon in Asia with the 3rd match day of games in the 2nd round qualifying.
However this round of games featured some heavy beatings for some of the smaller footballing nations. Japan made no mistake this time by beating Cambodia 3-0 having drawn 0-0 with Singapore in June. Australia made light work of Bangladesh in a 5-0 stroll in Perth while Iraq put Chinese Taipei to the sword in a 6-1 success in Tehran.
However these were not the big beatings handed out. The biggest was Qatar's 15-0 romp of Bhutan in Doha. Bhutan caused a sensation earlier this year by overcoming Sri Lanka in the 1st round qualifying to reach this stage for the first time, but were dealt a cruel lesson by the ruthless Qataris. Bhutan were exposed time and time again as Qatar went for the jugular. 8-0 up at half-time the hosts added seven more in the 2nd half which leaves Bhutan routed to the bottom of group C with no points. Bhutan's previous two games were a 7-0 loss to Hong Kong and 6-0 reverse against China. They face the Maldives in October next.
While Qatar recorded the biggest win of the day, the United Arab Emiretes racked up a 10-0 win over Malaysia. Malaysia didn't help their caused with three different goalkeepers featuring as they remain routed to the bottom of group A with no points.
Kuwait were 9-0 winners over Myanmar who along with Laos prop up group G with a single point. Laos themselves were on the end of an 8-0 trashing by South Korea and Saudi Arabia were 7-0 winners of East Timor. Iran also recorded a big win just the six without reply against Guam.
It's scorelines like these that nobody really wants to see but it just shows the gulf in class between some of Asia's best sides and some of their poorer sides. The 2nd round continues until next March when the group winners and best runners-up go into the 3rd round group stage.
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