Iran qualified for the 2026 World Cup after Mehdi Taremi scored twice in a 2-2 draw with Uzbekistan on Tuesday.
The Inter Milan striker scored his second goal in the 83rd minute in Tehran, giving Iran the point it needed to qualify to a fourth straight appearance at the World Cup and a seventh overall.
The 48-team tournament will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Uzbekistan, three points behind Iran in Group A, would have qualified for the first time with a victory and twice took the lead at the Azadi Stadium.
Khojimat Erkinov struck after 16 minutes but Taremi put Iran back on level terms seven minutes into the second half by firing an unstoppable volley into the roof of the net from the edge of the area.
Immediately, Abbosbek Fayzullaev restored Uzbekistan’s lead but, Taremi responded, this time from close range, to send Iran to the World Cup where it will attempt to progress past the group stages for the first time.
The top two from each of the three groups of six in Asia are guaranteed a place, while the teams that finish third and fourth will advance to a further stage to compete for two more places.
Third-placed United Arab Emirates defeated bottom team North Korea 2-1 to move four points behind Uzbekistan while Asian champion Qatar is out of the running for automatic qualification after a 3-1 loss in Kyrgyzstan.
Earlier, Australia took a big step toward securing a spot at tournament with a 2-0 win over China in Hangzhou on Tuesday that also ended the hosts’ hopes of automatic qualification.
First-half goals from Jackson Irvine and Nishan Velupillay were enough for the Socceroos. With two games in Group C remaining in the third round, Australia is three points clear of third-placed Saudi Arabia, which drew 0-0 at already-qualified Japan.
Irvine, who scored twice in the 5-1 win over Indonesia on Thursday, needed just 16 minutes to make room inside a crowded area to curl home a shot into the corner.
To make matters worse for China, 13 minutes later goalkeeper Wang Dalei spilled a tame shot from Velupillay which then rolled over the line.
China has yet to return to the World Cup since its 2002 debut and remains bottom of the group.
Saudi Arabia is still in the hunt for a seventh appearance after a battling goalless draw in Japan. The hosts dominated at Saitama Stadium but were unable to get the breakthrough.
South Korea drops points again In Group B, South Korea stayed top but dropped two points for the second time inside a week, drawing 1-1 at home to Jordán.
South Korea needed just six minutes to take the lead when Lee Jae-sung arrived late to divert Son Heung-min’s corner into the net from close range.
A win would have put the Koreans on the brink of an 11th successive appearance but Jordan was level on the half hour. Mahmoud Al-Mardi pounced on the loose ball to shoot home, though the shot was deflected off a Korean defender.
South Korea has 16 points, three more than Jordan. Iraq, in action against the Palestinian team later, is in third with 12 points.
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