[WORLD CUP 2014 QUALIFYING … Asia] After three days of play in the final round of World Cup 2014 qualifying in the Asian zone that has involved teams takinggrueling flights to and from the Middle East and Far East and even farther, down under to Australia, Asian champion Japan, which has qualified for the last four World Cups, and South Korea, which hasplayed in seven consecutive World Cup finals, have opened up leads in the two groups.

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