DOHA (AFP) – Harib Abdalla Suhail scored the all-important purpose because the UAE surprised South Korea 1-0 on Tuesday (March 29) to advance to an Asian qualifying playoff in opposition to Australia on the highway to the World Cup in Qatar.
South Korea and Iran had already made the minimize instantly from Group A within the last spherical of qualifying, leaving the UAE and Iraq in a crunch battle to clinch the third spot to be able to earn the suitable to fulfill Australia, who completed third in Group B.
The winners of that match will meet a South American group in an inter-continental playoff with the victors advancing to the World Cup correct.
The loss in Dubai on Tuesday was South Korea’s first defeat in 10 matches as they completed in second in Group A with 23 factors, two behind high aspect Iran.
The Emiratis have been within the finals of the quadrennial showpiece solely as soon as, in 1990, and though they have been allowed solely a miserly 23 p.c ball possession, they managed to sneak a purpose by way of the South Korean defence within the 54th minute to seize a vital victory and end on 12 factors.
Mohammed al-Balushi supplied the help with a headed go and Suhail discovered the underside proper nook of the South Korean web with a positive left-footed shot.
The rattled South Koreans tried their utmost to fined the equaliser however the hosts held agency to maintain their slim hopes alive through the playoff route.
Iraq confronted Syria a number of kilometres throughout Dubai on the Rashid Stadium however the Iraqis fell behind within the third minute to an Alaa al-Dali purpose earlier than Aymen Hussein’s thirty first minute strike helped them restore parity.
Iraq would have made the playoff provided that that they had overwhelmed Syria and the UAE drew with or misplaced to South Korea.
Earlier Iran beat Lebanon 2-0 to complete in high spot whereas Japan, who’ve already certified for Qatar, and Vietnam performed out a 1-1 draw.
The post Football: UAE stun South Korea to earn World Cup playoff with Australia first appeared on Umorr.
