BEIRUT - Uzbekistan's disappointing start to the fourth round of World Cup qualifiers continued on Friday when they were held to a 1-1 draw by lowly Lebanon in Beirut. The Uzbeks finished fourth in the Asian Cup last year andmhad started qualifying well, finishing top of their third-roundngroup containing Asian Champions Japan, but their slow start tonthe next stage has left a first World Cup appearance alreadynunlikely. Things had started brightly in Beirut for the visitors whonhad Mirdjalal Kasimov in charge after the former boss replacedmnVadim Abramov earliernthis week following the 1-0 home defeat tonIran in the opening fourth-round match on Sunday. They took the lead in the 12th minute through Jasur Hasanov,nbut that was as good as it got for the Uzbeks. After narrowly avoiding going two down, Lebanon, competingnat this stage ofnqualifying for the first time, drew levelnthanks to a goal by defender AlinSaadi in the 34th minute. Kasimov recalled three of the five players who missed thenIran defeat after being banned by FIFA for gaining yellow cardsnon purpose in the previous round to avoid carrying them over and incurring a suspension. But even with playmaker and Asian Player-of-the-Year ServernDjeparov back in their team the Uzbeks could not find a winnernas both sides settled for their first point of the fourth-roundmnstage. Qatar, who beat Lebanon 1-0 in Beirut on Sunday, host SouthnKorea later on Friday in the day's other Group A match.
