Huddersfield manager Darren Moore was “frustrated” after his side were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw at Blackburn.

The Terriers fell behind early on after Adam Wharton intercepted Jonathan Hogg’s pass before slotting home from 10 yards.

Huddersfield responded impressively and their talismanic defender Michal Helik brilliantly directed his near-post header into the far corner to notch his eighth goal of the campaign midway through the first half.

The visitors had plenty of chances to seal victory, the best missed by Jack Rudoni in the first half while David Kasumu fired wide when clean through in the second half.

Despite seeing their winless run stretch to four Sky Bet Championship games, Moore believes the victories will come.

He said: “I know they had a lot more possession but I thought we had the clearer-cut chances, certainly we feel like as a team we’re going away a little bit frustrated with the chances we created.

“We could have capitalised more. I don’t want it to seem like a downer but the hard bit was the boys getting into those areas and finding the composure. The last bit was the final conversion because they were clear-cut chances for us to go and score.

“The positives are I’ve been quite happy with the way the boys have been showing the performances over the last half dozen, seven, eight games, in terms of we’re talking about us winning games.

“I keep saying to them that as long as they keep applying themselves, those draws will turn into wins because you’re certainly in the ascendency in winning games as opposed to losing games. We have to keep going.”

It is seven games without a win for Blackburn, who failed to work Lee Nicholls enough in the Huddersfield goal.

Rovers boss Jon Dahl Tomasson felt that a first-half injury to Hayden Carter killed momentum but conceded his side did not create enough.

He said: “We are of course disappointed not to win the game. Huddersfield came with a very clear plan to sit back and rely on set-plays and transition moments.

“We know when a team sit back like that, it can be difficult to play through, with a lot of bodies behind the ball.

“I actually thought we started really bright. We scored an excellent goal, then I think with Hayden Carter, he got injured and it killed the momentum a bit and then we were playing too slow in that moment.

“We conceded a goal we shouldn’t have conceded of course, but all the credit to Huddersfield and Helik. He’s scored a lot of goals from set-pieces this season.

“The second half, I thought we dominated totally. We did a lot of good things until we came to around the box. What we’ve been really great at during this season is creating chances.

“I think with the possession we had, we didn’t create enough chances. I think we were lacking runs and were lacking quick play, instead taking too many touches around the box.”

Tony Mowbray praised Birmingham after they “found a way” to edge a lively 2-1 win at Stoke.

The new boss stretched his unbeaten start to three games in all competitions as Blues rose to eight points above the relegation zone.

“I’m really pleased for the supporters behind the goal,” said Mowbray.

“It’s my first experience of the away support from Birmingham City and it was big and loud and noisy; it’s great that they could celebrate a win.

“We found a way today and that’s the important thing in football but we can’t play like we did in that second half every week because we won’t win many matches.”

Jay Stansfield opened the scoring inside 10 minutes as he rifled home his eighth league goal of the season.

The Potters responded positively to their early setback but struggled to convert their dominance into chances.

And the visitors capitalised shortly after the restart thanks to Juninho Bacuna’s exquisite free-kick from 25 yards.

Jordan Thompson halved the hosts’ arrears late on, but Birmingham held on for a vital victory.

“First half, the game plan was good and we looked like we could break away and score,” Mowbray added.

“That’s probably the best football that Stoke have played for a long time and Steven (Schumacher) deserves a lot of credit for that.

“They were good today and in the second half, we went into protection mode, but we managed to see it out.

“You can give your team organisation and structure and I thought we saw the game out well today against as good a Stoke team as I’ve seen.

“I like a lot of what we’ve got at this football club; I’ve just got to change the mentality a little bit.

“The vast majority of them are very humble and hard-working and it’s hurt them where they are, but we’re only here to win now.”

It was a frustrating afternoon for Stoke, whose five-match unbeaten start under Steven Schumacher came to an end.

Bae Jun-ho struck the bar, Michael Rose failed to convert from close-range and Ryan Mmaee missed a host of chances for the toothless Potters.

“It was disappointing to lose it and I don’t think we deserved to lose it,” said Schumacher.

“The performance was good bar a couple mistakes, but it’s two brilliant bits of quality that has decided the outcome.

“We got more in the dangerous areas than Birmingham did, but we didn’t make the most of it, so that’s disappointing.

“It’s important that we are creating chances; that wasn’t the case a few weeks ago, so now I need the lads to show their quality and composure.

“With the way we’ll play and the way we’ll get forward, they’ll get chances so now we’ve got to find a way to take them.

“I’ve got belief in the squad; the players have got quality but they’ve got to make the most of big opportunities.”

Stuart Kettlewell stressed there is plenty of room for improvement despite Motherwell overcoming a spirited display from Alloa to reach the last-16 of the Scottish Cup.

The Steelmen made the perfect start when Blair Spittal fired them ahead inside the opening minute, though Conor Sammon would stun the home crowd by levelling just before the half-hour mark.

There was a nervousness around Fir Park, though Georgie Gent’s slammed home on the hour-mark before Spittal added his second with a sublime free-kick in the closing minutes to secure victory.

“The most important thing is that we are into the hat for the next round,” Kettlewell said.

“What we often do is look at results around the country and we can see how difficult this round of the cup can be.

“A lot of people want to create an upset and the biggest thing for us was that it wasn’t here.

“I wasn’t happy with a lot of aspects of the game if I’m being honest, I think we have to sharpen a lot of our senses in how we play both in possession and out of possession.”

The Well boss was delighted at the impact of Spittal, who played an integral part in hauling his threadbare team into the next round.

Motherwell named seven academy graduates on their substitutes bench – a consequence of losing a number of key players during the winter break.

“The three goals we score are of real quality, it possibly could have been a hat-trick for Blair Spittal,” he added.

“He’ll be disappointed its not three, it’s a good save from the goalkeeper but Blair shows quality in the first minute and then shows it again towards the end.

“He’s probably the guy in my opinion that flies under the radar because he’s so consistent and so versatile.

“I think everyone can see by the nature of the squad I have at this minute that I rely on his versatility but also rely along with everyone else on the quality he showed again today.”

Alloa boss Andy Graham believes his team can hold their heads up high after competing with the Premiership opponents for long spells.

The League One side would run out of steam as the second half progressed, though caused some nervy moments for the hosts.

“The first half was really pleasing. To lose a goal against a Premiership team so early, the response to that was brilliant,” he said.

“We really grew into the game after that and deserved to be level.

“We believed we could win the game but fair play to Motherwell, their quality showed in the end.”

Norwich head coach David Wagner feels his team are in a good place after watching them beat West Brom 2-0 at Carrow Road to stay on the fringes of the Championship play-off race.

The Canaries have bounced back from a poor run of form to lose just twice in 12 matches in all competitions and Wagner was full of praise for his in-form team afterwards.

Josh Sargent and Jon Rowe scored either side of the break as Norwich made it back-to-back league wins.

He said: “I thought it was a superb performance from the lads, they kept up a high level for the whole game.

“We scored two good goals, showed lots of energy throughout and also defended well to keep a clean sheet – there were a lot of good things out there and we are in a good place now and we will keep on pushing.

“Where it takes us I don’t know but what I can say is that we are moving in the right direction and are competitive in this division.”

Norwich moved up to eighth, just four points behind the fifth-placed Baggies, as a result of the hard-fought victory.

The Canaries were on the back foot for long periods but defended well and, unlike their opponents, made good use of two of the opportunities that came their way.

They made their first incisive attack of the game count on 13 minutes as Sargent latched onto Kenny McLean’s through ball and fired through Alex Palmer’s poor attempt at a save.

The all-important second arrived in the 71st minute, Rowe making it 13 for the season by finishing off a slick move involving Gabriel Sara and Dimi Giannoulis.

Wagner knows the well-taken goal will only increase speculation linking Rowe with a move to a higher level but he said: “There are no signs, no indications he will move this month. I am confident he will be with us at the end of the month.

“His performance today was at a high level, the same as all the players – he went close twice in the first half, scored a good goal in the second and his energy was great throughout. He is an excellent young player but there is still a lot of work to be done.”

Baggies boss Carlos Corberan was disappointed to see his side leave Carrow Road empty-handed.

He said: “It is important we feel the pain of this defeat because only then can we have the desire to improve and put things right.

“We had some good chances in this match, especially in the second half.

“Had we taken one of those right at the start of the half it might have been a different outcome. We just needed to be a lot more clinical in front of goal.

“If you don’t take your chances you are not going to win football matches and that is something we need to work on.

“It is very frustrating because we knew what the game would be like. They are a good side and we knew they would be a threat on transitions.

“That is what happened and we needed to defend them a lot better.”

New Burton boss Martin Paterson was relieved after goals from Mark Helm and skipper John Brayford secured his first win with a 2-0 victory over Charlton.

Paterson was denied a point at Derby in his first game in charge but Albion never looked like relinquishing control once they got two goals in front, with a resilient defensive performance the bedrock of the victory.

“It is a really good result and I think my first and most important point will be how hard it is to win football games,” the former Northern Ireland striker said.

“It was a tough game, but we have had a good few days building in from the defeat at Derby but I kept reminding the group about the balance between results and performances and what is key to it is emotional control.

“It is a fantastic result for us today and I thought we played some good football in spells and that can continue to improve. The willingness of the group to take on the details of what I have added in has been excellent.”

Burton had not scored twice in a game prior to Paterson’s appointment since October and have now done so in successive games, with the new boss keen to give his players freedom to play.

“We want players to express themselves when they get into the final third of the pitch and that is a key thing for this team, to give them a little more confidence and a little more freedom,” he added.

“Lots of things that we wanted from the performance we can tick off today but the important thing is not to get too high with a win and we come back in this week and try to improve again.”

Charlton boss Michael Appleton came under fire from Addicks supporters during the game as his side extended a winless run to nine league games, with it now almost two months since their last victory.

“Missed opportunities in the first half cost us,” Appleton said. “We had countless opportunities, and some poor defending didn’t help”.

Albion’s opener came from keeper Max Crocombe’s long clearance being flicked on and finished by Helm, whilst poor defending allowed Brayford to poach a second just two minutes after the break.

“It wasn’t even a chance they have scored from, it’s a half chance,” Appleton added.

“We can show them the poor defending and tell them but they have to take responsibility and do it.”

The second goal, so early after half-time, killed off Charlton’s hopes of a comeback, with Appleton disappointed by his side’s response.

“The timing didn’t help but we still had 40 or 50 minutes to do something,” he said.

“Really once we went two down, we stopped passing forwards and didn’t take responsibility to get the ball forwards.

“We are where we are due to lapses of concentration, which have certainly hurt us. We have an understanding of where we think this season can go and it is up to us as staff and players to deliver that.”

Darren Ferguson praised his players and staff after Peterborough battled back to beat struggling Shrewsbury.

Sky Bet League One’s lowest scorers led the division’s highest scorers at the break thanks to Jordan Shipley’s strike in the 41st minute of a game which went ahead after a second pitch inspection.

But it was a different story in the second half, with Joel Randall tapping in at the end of a fine 51st-minute move to drag Posh level before Josh Knight headed in a Harrison Burrows corner to complete the turnaround in the 68th minute.

Randall struck a post in stoppage time, but Posh had done enough to retain second spot, while a sixth defeat in their last seven league outings sent Shrewsbury sliding towards the drop zone.

Ferguson said: “I’m really proud of the players – this is as important a win as we’ve had all season.

“I’m sure people looked at our form, their form and had it down as a home banker, but it’s never that easy.

“The worst thing was conceding a really soft goal which gave Shrewsbury something to hang onto.

“It was the sort of game where we just had to find a way and we did it.

“Joel was the best player on the pitch in the second half and got us level.

“We’ve got an excellent coach in Dale Tonge who works really hard on set pieces and it was great to see a corner come off.

“The ground staff did a brilliant job to get the game on with the weather we’ve had.

“I’ve had it before where so much effort has gone in and then we’ve lost the game.

“That was in the back of my mind, but we came through it with a win.”

Shrews boss Matt Taylor said: “I thought we were excellent in the first half and probably edged it. Away at Peterborough, that’s never easy to do.

“We had some good moments and Jordan took his chance really well, but we spoke at half-time about how the first-half performance meant nothing.

“I can understand and accept the first goal Peterborough scored as it was a moment of quality which you’re always going to get playing against a team who are likely to get promoted.

“But to be stood here having lost a game of football due to conceding from a set play, is unacceptable.

“We spend a lot of time working on them. If you are given a role you have to do it, but we didn’t do that today.

“I should be talking about a good point gained, but instead it’s about not getting the result we want and that’s disappointing.

“I felt the performance was good, but the result isn’t.”

Derby boss Paul Warne was left counting his lucky stars after his side’s 0-0 draw at Lincoln.

The promotion-chasing Rams dropped points for only the third time since the end of October at Sincil Bank.

But it could have been worse if it was not for inspired goalkeeper Josh Vickers, who produced a string of fine saves to frustrate the win-shy hosts, whose winless league run stretched to eight games.

Warne said: “It could have been a lot worse, it could have been a bit better. That’s my view of it. We just didn’t do enough to take a chance.

“We have an attitude to take a risk. We want to win every game, we feel we have a responsibility to get promoted to try and win as many games as we can; away from home or at home, that’s the way we play.

“Luckily, our goalie got us out of trouble. Sometimes you need that.

“I still thought we would have scored, a guilt-edge chance. But we didn’t. We huffed and puffed. We just didn’t have enough to win a game.

“It’s always the way if, for whatever reason, your two, three or four forwards, whatever you play with, can’t create a chance then you want more and more options.

“If I was really greedy I’d have 10 centre forwards with six on the bench and I’d keep flipping them.

“We can’t always rely on Tom [Barkhuizen], Collo [James Collins] and Nat [Mendez-Laing] to create something all the time, it’s impossible.

“You can’t go through the whole season being the best player. Although in fairness most of the time they are.”

Despite an elusive win going begging, Lincoln boss Michael Skubala was pleased with his side’s performance.

He was particularly impressed by young strikers Freddie Draper (19) and Luton loanee Joe Taylor (21), the latter being denied a goal in the second half by a clearance off the line.

Skubala said: “I’m really pleased. I thought they worked really hard.

“We created some big chances. I thought the game had everything from the lads and we were brilliant, without getting the win.

“I thought we looked a real threat. We had a 19 and 20-year-old up front and we saw how exciting their partnership can be.

“Freddie and Joe have a lot to learn but the signs were good.

“I was impressed with everybody. I thought they were all really good.

“I was disappointed for them because they deserved to win with the chances they created.

“Joe will be fine, he’ll be fine. He’ll score goals for us. If he starts scoring goals for us then he’s got a bright future.

“He’s got to score. They’re still young, still new to League One and that can’t be underestimated.

“Derby are a big team on a great run so I’m really pleased.”

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho hailed his side’s 1-0 win at struggling Fleetwood as one of the best of their season.

Pompey stayed at the Sky Bet League One summit thanks to Abu Kamara’s eye-catching striker midway through the first half.

After back-to-back defeats Mousinho admitted it was a welcome win for Pompey, although he would have preferred his side to be more clinical when they are dominating.

He said: “It feels like, and it felt before the game, that it would be up there with the most important and best wins of the season. Especially with all the circumstances – coming into the game off the back of a really poor performance, tough conditions, a tough pitch, to win the game was the most important thing.

“But I think the two sides of the performance, some really good football in the first half followed by that dogged determination to keep the ball out of our net in the second half, it shows we’ve got both sides of the game.

“I felt we were really in control in the first half, we kept the ball for the majority of it. It felt frustrating that we didn’t open them up more but you’re not always going to be able to do that because Fleetwood were working so hard.

“Our plan was that if we kept moving the ball and made it difficult for them something would open up, and a few times it did open up.

“When it does that’s probably the area where we’ve been lacking in the past few weeks, that bit of quality in the final third. But when you’ve got players like Abu Kamara on the pitch we want to see a bit more of that, because he’s got that in his locker.”

Fleetwood’s defeat means new boss Charlie Adam is still awaiting his first point since taking over at Highbury.

Although they prop up the rest of the division, the manager is desperate to see more performances like their second-half show against Pompey.

He explained: “When you give good teams an opportunity, one moment of allowing the ball to come inside has cost us the game.

“I got stuck into them at half-time and told them what I thought and what I expected of them because the first half wasn’t acceptable, we were too passive and we conceded the goal that cost us the game in the end.

“The second half was much better. We drove and I saw a team that was fighting with really good energy at the top end of the pitch but that chance never fell for us so we’ll look back at it and we’ll have to go again next week.

“I felt for some reason we played with the handbrake on in the first half, so we’ll look back on it and see what the reasons are but you can’t give good teams 45 minutes of a start on you and then expect a reaction.

“They gave me the reaction I asked for in the second half but ultimately we were unlucky not to get a point from the game.

“I think we caused a good team problems in the second half, we got on the front foot and pressed better and it allowed us to get up the pitch.

“If we can put it into a consistent 90 minutes then the football matches will start to turn.”

Exeter manager Gary Caldwell felt his players were “too safe” as they drew yet another blank in a goalless draw with Cambridge at St James Park.

The Grecians have failed to score in 15 of their 27 League One games and their need for a striker was never more evident than against a U’s side that were there for the taking.

“I thought we played well for large periods and dominated the game with possession, first half in particular, without really creating a great deal,” Caldwell said.

“I thought we were too safe and didn’t risk enough in their half and their final third.

“Second half, after a few tweaks on how we play, I thought we were much more aggressive, we created more chances and I thought we were the only team looking to win the game.

“They were happy to sit in and play on the counter-attack and look to score off a set-piece, which I thought the players were brilliant at stopping that and being really focused.

“It was something we spoke about before and I thought we defended them really well, but all in all, I thought the players were excellent apart from in that last bit of putting the ball in the back of the net.

“We have to be more creative in those moments. I still think we are a little tentative and in one-v-one situations, we didn’t have the aggression that we can have normally, but it is the hardest part of football and where you need your players to have real belief.

“But it wasn’t for a want of trying, I thought the players gave everything.”

Cambridge boss Neil Harris was pleased with the draw and a clean sheet.

He said: “I am happy with a point but firstly, a big thank you to those crazy (Cambridge) fans that have come all that way to watch a game of football. It wasn’t the prettiest game, but we were effective.

“I asked them before the game to show me spirit, resilience and desire to get a clean sheet and some moments of quality as well. We had one good moment of quality and the one moment of quality that Exeter created, Jack Stevens made a great save.

“It was a vital point, a pleasing point and I am pleased for my players, pleased for the staff, but really pleased for the fans that have come all this way in this weather to come and watch a game of football.

“There was a lack of quality and the pitch wasn’t easy for the players of both teams and that added to the ugly nature of the game. But if we have to be ugly at times to gain results, then so be it.”

Michael Carrick could not understand why the officials made the two “massive” offside decisions they did as Middlesbrough came from behind to claim a point from a 1-1 draw with Rotherham.

The Millers had taken a 59th-minute lead when Cafu finished brilliantly after he was played in behind the defence by former Boro striker Jordan Hugill – despite Carrick’s claims the striker was offside in the build-up.

But Rotherham’s hopes of a first away win since November 2022 were dashed when Marcus Forss equalised with eight minutes remaining.

Boro could also have won it when Josh Coburn turned in at the end, only for the officials to blow for offside because Matt Crooks attempted to go for the ball at the near post first.

Carrick said: “It’s disappointing because we have had two games against them now and came away with a point. It’s difficult to understand but credit to them for making things difficult.

“There were bright moments, some good football in the game, but the second half was stop-start, free-kicks, throw-ins, not a real flow in the game, so it was difficult to get going.

“Credit to the boys, it wasn’t easy. We finished strong and we scored a perfectly good goal to win 2-1. You always find a way to take a positive. It could have been more frustrating as the game went on, they never gave up.

“The story of the game for me is that their goal is offside. Hugill is offside in build up, right in front of the linesman. Crooks is onside at the end. Key moments.

“I was shouting for offside in build up to their goal, the officials didn’t flinch, and led to a goal from nowhere. Two massive decisions.”

Morgan Rogers, reportedly the subject of bids from Aston Villa this week, cleverly flicked into the path of Forss for the equaliser.

Carrick, who revealed Isaiah Jones faces a battle to be fit to face Chelsea in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final after going off with a hamstring problem, added: “It is that funny season, there’s rumours and speculation. Morgan played well, there’s nothing from my point of view on that one.

“There is no reason (not to play him)… he is our player and a massive part of the group. Speculation is speculation. You get on with the job. This is what we do. I’m only interested in the players I have got to choose from.”

Middlesbrough are three points behind sixth-placed Coventry and remain in the hunt for promotion.

Rotherham, who have only won one of their last 16 matches, are eight points shy of safety.

Head coach Leam Richardson, who took over before Christmas, said: “I feel a little bit pleased with our structure, the competitive nature and the account we have given of ourselves.

“I’m also mindful of the quality of the opposition and the environment we are playing in.

“We have to play a certain way to get the best out of the players we have. Everyone adapts slightly with the opposition, and credit to the players for the output they have given against a team pushing for the play-offs, and in a cup semi-final.

“When it goes so late you are disappointed. After the game your emotions can take you either way and I am a manager-coach who likes to look back and evolve.

“The goal was avoidable, they all are. We probably could have been more mindful late on in possession.

“If we work as hard as we can and the lads have given full attention since I arrived in the building, we are not blessed with facilities, so we have been adapting, learning different things, and if we keep performing like that I believe we will give ourselves a better fighting chance. We might as well give it a go rather than roll over.”

Bolton boss Ian Evatt gave an honest assessment following his side’s 1-0 defeat to Leyton Orient in Sky Bet League One.

Promotion hopefuls Bolton, who started the match two points off the top of the table and with two matches in hand, should have taken the lead in the first half when leading scorer Dion Charles headed against a post.

However, the visitors paid the price when Dan Agyei netted the only goal of the game in the 54th minute, his third in as many matches, to give Orient the points.

Evatt, who was impressed with his team’s display in Tuesday’s FA Cup replay loss to Luton, said: “I’m very disappointed and I think we got what we deserved.

“They didn’t create lots but played the conditions better and showed more fight, more determination and a willingness to do the ugly side of the game better than we did.

“Some of our decision making and execution was baffling after Tuesday, when it was the opposite.

“I made five substitutions but I wish I could have made 11. If I could have made 11 changes then I would have.”

He continued: “I wasn’t happy with anybody. We made the wrong choices and showed the wrong body language.

“Very rarely am I disappointed with that group of players to the extent I am today.

“Having said all that we still had the best two chances in the game, which you cannot afford to miss. Both gilt edge, right in front of goal with no pressure and one on one. We saw that at Portsmouth and we saw that again today.”

In contrast, Orient assistant manager Matt Harrold was understandably upbeat after his team stretched their unbeaten league run to five matches, a run that includes four victories.

He said: “We’re really thrilled with the result. We’ve looked a really good team (in the) last six games.

“We need to stay aggressive and keep it going. We were really positive, it was a dominant performance despite them having the best two chances of the game.

“We had to stay patient with Dan Agyei having picked up the long-term injury pre-season but his return has been a massive boost for everyone.

“We need to keep him fit and he can go from strength to strength. He’s got that strength, power and unpredictability so we need him to keep going.

“Credit to the overall team though. We’re working hard and stopping the opposition from higher up the pitch, which means we’re not conceding too many chances.

“The big emphasis has been ‘let’s get back to what we are on the front foot, physical and aggressive’.

“There are a lot of games in February and March and the squad is going to be needed and we will attack each game as it comes.”

Despite going ahead after an early strike by Son Heung-min, South Korea needed a last-minute own goal to salvage a 2-2 draw with Jordan at the Asian Cup.

Yazan Al-Arab's late intervention at the Al Thumama Stadium prevented a second surprise result in the space of 24 hours after Iraq had stunned tournament favourites Japan.

The draw leaves both South Korea, led by former United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann, and Jordan with four points from the first two games in Group E.

"It was a very, very intense game, which we expected," Klinsmann said. 

"After we got the lead, we were too slow. We were not physical enough. We lost one-on-one battles on the field, and that gave them a lot of energy."

Klinsmann, who won the 1990 World Cup with West Germany, was more satisfied with the second-half fightback.

He added: "We were in control. We created enough chances to win this game. Still, a tie is fine at the end of the day."

South Korea, two-time champions but searching for a first title since 1960, started well. After just five minutes, Son was fouled in the area by Ehsan Haddad. After a four-minute long VAR check, the Tottenham captain scored from the spot.

Jordan levelled after 37 minutes as Park Yong-woo headed a corner into his own net. Six minutes into first-half stoppage time, Jordan took the lead on Yazan Al-Naimat's goal.

But South Korea's pressure paid off in the first minute of second-half stoppage time. Son pulled the ball back in the area for Hwang In-beom and the low shot from the Red Star Belgrade midfielder was turned into his own goal by Al Arab.

Also in Group E, Bahrain beat Malaysia 1-0 to go third with three points. Ali Madan scored the only goal of the game in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time to leave Malaysia pointless.

The top two from each of the six groups advance to the round of 16, where they are joined by the four best-performing third-place teams.

The entertaining Saturday play came after two low-scoring affairs rounded out the action on Friday.

Indonesia moved level with Japan in the Group D standings after beating Vietnam 1-0.

The deadlock was broken after 42 minutes when Nguyen Thanh Binh pulled Rafael Struick's shirt in the area. Captain Asnawi Mangkualam fired home the penalty to give Indonesia a chance of a place in the knockout stage for the first time.

Vietnam, who have lost both of their games, were reduced to 10 men late in the game after Le Pham Thanh Long's second yellow card.

In Group C, Iran defeated Hong Kong 1-0 to secure a place in the round of 16. Mehdi Ghayedi scored with more than an hour left.

The win put three-time champions Iran on top, two points ahead of the United Arab Emirates. The teams meet on Tuesday.

Hong Kong stayed bottom with successive defeats and are a point behind their final group opponents Palestine.

Promotion-chasing Peterborough produced a second-half turnaround to sink Shrewsbury 2-1.

A shock was on the cards at half-time as League One’s lowest scorers led the highest scorers in the division courtesy of Jordan Shipley’s opener.

The Shrews midfielder struck with a fine 20-yard strike in the 41st minute after back-up goalkeeper Harry Burgoyne made a series of smart saves to keep out Posh.

Burgoyne’s terrific save to deny Ricky-Jade Jones one-on-one in the early stages was the pick of the bunch and even when he was beaten by an acrobatic Ephron Mason-Clark effort, defender Morgan Feeney was perfectly placed to head off the line.

Despite falling behind to Shipley’s strike, Posh refused to panic and roared back after the break.

Joel Randall provided a simple finish to a wonderfully-crafted leveller when tapping in a low Jadel Katongo cross in the 51st minute.

And the comeback was complete midway through the half when Josh Knight broke free to head in Harrison Burrows’ corner at the back post in the 68th minute.

Randall struck a post with a glorious chance in stoppage time, but Peterborough had done enough to claim the points.

Thelo Aasgaard’s brilliant strike just after the half-hour mark was enough to secure a valuable 1-0 Sky Bet League One victory for Wigan over Reading at the DW Stadium.

Wigan had threatened first when Martial Godo spun just inside the penalty area, but aimed his shot too close to goalkeeper David Button.

Wigan were indebted to Sean Clare for throwing himself into the path of a goalbound shot from Harvey Knibbs, who’s been teed up by Sam Smith.

But it was the home side who took the lead on 32 minutes, with Aasgaard bending a magnificent right-foot strike into the corner of the net from the edge of the box.

On-loan Fulham winger Godo was unable to run off his problem and was replaced by Stephen Humphrys.

Centre-back Liam Morrison, on loan from Bayern Munich replaced Wigan captain Josh Magennis early in the second half, and he immediately tested Button with a firm header from a corner.

It was almost 2-0 when Matt Smith led a two-on-two break and decided to chip the goalkeeper from 35 yards, with Button just about getting back and clawing the ball behind for a corner.

Reading almost levelled on the stroke of 90 minutes, only for Sam Tickle to parry Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan’s fierce drive, and then regain his feet quickly to push the ball away from the danger zone.

Goals from Ilias Chair and Sinclair Armstrong gave relegation-threatened QPR a vital 2-0 win over Millwall at Loftus Road.

It was Rangers’ first victory in eight Sky Bet Championship matches and lifted them up a place, to third from bottom.

And it means they will move level on points with Huddersfield, the team immediately above them in the table, if they beat the Terriers in another crucial game next weekend.

In a feisty London derby, both teams struggled to create clear-cut chances before Chair put Rangers ahead in the 27th minute with his third goal of the season.

Lyndon Dykes, usually a striker but currently operating in a withdrawn role, played a big part in the build-up.

Dykes controlled the ball nicely and laid it to the right to Chris Willock, who turned away from Joe Bryan and delivered a left-footed cross to the far post, where Chair bundled home from close range after getting in front of Millwall’s on-loan Arsenal youngster Brooke Norton-Cuffy.

QPR continued to threaten after the goal and Willock fired over – again after turning away from Bryan – before Dykes’ side-footed effort flashed narrowly wide.

Millwall’s first real sight of goal came a couple of minutes before half-time, when Billy Mitchell sent a first-time strike over the bar after being found by Zian Flemming’s cross from the left.

Rangers were back on the front foot after the interval, with Dykes heading wide from Willock’s cross and then testing keeper Matija Sarkic with a low shot which was well saved.

And the hosts appealed in vain for a penalty when Wes Harding blocked Dykes’ shot with his hands.

Rangers then had a let-off of their own when keeper Asmir Begovic allowed Mitchell’s shot to squirm through his legs and was rescued by Reggie Cannon’s clearance off the line.

Cannon took a heavy knock in the process and as he lay on the ground the defender appeared to be struck by a number of objects thrown from the away fans’ section of the ground.

That was the closest Millwall came to an equaliser – and there was no way back for them after Armstrong’s 85th-minute goal.

Chair teed up Jack Colback and, after Sarkic failed to hold the veteran midfielder’s left-footed shot, Armstrong was on hand to tuck away the loose ball.

Millwall, who recently won three matches in a row under new boss Joe Edwards, have now suffered back-to-back defeats.