Good start for Dick Advocaat with Iraq: draw in South Korea | sport

The second round of the World Cup playoffs in Asia began today. There are two groups of six countries. The two best teams of the two groups qualify directly for the World Cup in Qatar, the number three contest the play-offs for the fifth ticket on behalf of Asia.

Iraq and South Korea are in Group A along with Iran, Lebanon, Syria and the United Arab Emirates. Australia, China, Japan, Oman, Vietnam and Saudi Arabia are the six countries in Group B. The qualifying heats started in this group with a surprising result, with Oman winning 0-1 over Japan thanks to to a goal from Issam Abdallah Al-Sabhi in the 88th minute.

Advocaat has been working as a professional football coach since 1987. He has worked successively for Haarlem, SVV, Dordrecht, Oranje, PSV, Rangers, still Oranje, Borussia Mönchengladbach, United Arab, South Korea, Zenit Saint Petersburg, Belgium, AZ, Russia, again PSV, again AZ, Serbia, Sunderland, Fenerbahçe, for the third time Orange, Sparta, FC Utrecht and Feyenoord. At the Rotterdam club, he seemed very busy with his very last coaching job last season, but two months later he was already signing a contract as Iraq’s national coach.