WCQ: Ten-man Australia hold Japan

ALL content used in this not-for-profit blog remain the property of their respective owners.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_sports/view/1207222/1/.html

Ten-man Australia held free-flowing Japan to a 1-1 draw in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday, as South Korea marched towards Brazil 2014 with a 3-0 hammering of Lebanon.

In a Brisbane replay of last year's Asian Cup final, won by Japan, the Blue Samurai went ahead when dangerman Keisuke Honda carved open the defence for Yuzo Kurihara's simple finish on 65 minutes.

But Australia, who had lost substitute Mark Milligan to a second yellow card early in the second half, levelled with a coolly taken Luke Wilkshire penalty, after Alex Brosque was impeded inside the box.

It provided a dramatic finish to an enthralling game between Asia's two top-ranked sides - and Sasa Ognenovski nearly snatched it for the hosts when he rattled the bar in the closing stages.