Asia's big three win easy in WC qualifiers

Singapore - S. Korea, Qatar are the only teams with five wins from five games

Asian champions Australia struck three past Kyrgyzstan and South Korea notched four against Myanmar as the continent's elite enjoyed another straight forward night in World Cup qualifying on Thursday.
Four-times Asian champions Japan also enjoyed a comfortable outing as they dispatched Singapore 3-0 away to go top of Group E, while Iran head Group D after beating Turkmenistan 3-1 in Tehran.
However, the biggest winners on the seventh matchday in the second round of Asian qualifiers were China, who smacked neighbours Bhutan 12-0 in Changsha with Shandong Luneng striker Yang Xu scoring four.
China remain third in Group C on 10 points after Hong Kong edged Maldives 1-0 away to stay second on 13, two behind Qatar.
The 2022 World Cup hosts have won all five of their matches in the group, a feat matched only by perennial qualifiers South Korea who could afford to miss a penalty in an easy 4-0 win over Myanmar.
With second place Kuwait under a Fifa ban and their participation in doubt, a victory over lowly Laos on Tuesday could be enough for South Korea to book a spot at the 2019 Asian Cup.
The winners of the eight groups and four best runners-up will also advance through to the next stage of the long road to Russia 2018, where Asia will have at least four representatives.
Japan look all but assured of topping their group after recording a fourth straight win in Group E against opponents who had somehow held them to a goalless draw in Saitama in June to start the campaign. Mu Kanazaki celebrated his return to the fold after a five-year absence with his first goal for Japan and Keisuke Honda and Maya Yoshida added further strikes but head coach Vahid Halihodzic felt short-changed. "We played with ambition and aggressiveness, unfortunately we couldn't score more goals," the former Algeria and Ivory Coast boss told reporters.
Australia have a tougher fight in Group B where a 3-0 success over Kyrgyzstan left them one point back of leaders Jordan, who the Socceroos host in their final group match in March.
Skipper Mile Jedinak scored the opener in Canberra on Thursday from the penalty spot as the Socceroos, led by an impressive display from Aaron Mooy, showed no hangover from last month's loss to Jordan in Amman.
"Right from the kick-off we were very dominant, which we set out to do," head coach Ange Postecoglou told reporters. "It's easy in words, but it has to be backed up with actions."
The Socceroos now travel to Dhaka for Tuesday's match against Bangladesh, who were smashed 5-0 by Tajikistan on Thursday.