1 Mar 2012

Australia end Saudis' world cup hopes

7:43 am on 1 March 2012

Australia scored three goals in three minutes in a second-half burst to beat Saudi Arabia 4-2 in Melbourne last night, dashing the Saudis' hopes of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup football finals in Brazil.

Australia had already claimed one of the 10 places in the next round of Asian qualifying.

South Korea squeezed into the fourth round of Asian zone qualifying with a 2-nil win at home over Kuwait. That result gave Lebanon a place in the next round.

Japan were beaten 1-nil by Uzbekistan but they're both through to the next stage.