Australia and South Korea took maximum points to reinforce their credentials in the race to the World Cup Finals but Asian powerhouse Japan struggled to a 1-1 draw with Uzbekistan Wednesday. The Socceroos scored a clinical 4-0 win over Qatar in Brisbane with a brace by Blackburn Rovers' star Brett Emerton and goals from Everton's Tim Cahill and another by Josh Kennedy. It puts Pim Verbeek's men on top of Group A with six points from two games, following their earlier win against Uzbekistan in Tashkent. Qatar has four points from three games. Japan also has four points but has played one match less. Bahrain, with one point, didn't play Wednesday. In Group B, South Korea, who made the semifinals on home turf in 2002, eased past winless United Arab Emirates 4-1 in Seoul with a double from Lee Kuen-Ho and goals by Manchester United's Park Ji-Sung and Kwak Tae-Hwi. It is now level with Saudi Arabia, Iran and North Korea on four points from two games. In another match of this group, Iran defeated North Korea 2-1. The Saudis had a night off. Javad Nekounam and Mahdi Mahdavikia scored for Iran. North Korea's Jong Tae-se cut the deficit. Australia, looking for back-to-back trips to the 2010 World Cup Finals after reaching the knockout round in Germany two years ago, was good value for its victory. The result never looked in doubt after Cahill pounced with a rapier finish in the ninth minute. A long ball from Luke Wilkshire was helped on by David Carney and Kennedy to leave the Everton poacher unmarked on the left-hand side of the box to drill home for his 14th goal in 29 internationals. Cahill was in the action again eight minutes later when he was impeded by Abdulla Koni and was awarded a penalty. Emerton converted to give the confident Australians a two-goal buffer. They wrapped it up with Emerton's second goal, finishing off lead-up play from strikers Scott McDonald and Kennedy, in the 59th minute. Kennedy capped a fine match when he headed home Wilkshire's deep cross with 14 minutes left. Uruguay salvages a draw Two late goals allowed Uruguay to salvage a 2-2 draw against host Bolivia in South American qualifying for the World Cup on Tuesday. Uruguay has 13 points to lie in fourth place in the standings on goal difference, while Bolivia has 9 points to be eighth in the 10-team group. France beats Tunisia Coach Raymond Domenech's confidence of a positive outcome from talks about his job by the French Football Federation was boosted by France's 3-1 defeat of Tunisia in a friendly on Tuesday. Raymond Domenech has been retained as France coach at least until qualifying ends for the World Cup.
