Uzbekistan, Jordan qualify for FIFA World Cup for the first time; South Korea also books spot
Uzbekistan and Jordan progressed to the World Cup finals for the first time on Thursday, as regular qualifier South Korea also booked its place in North America next year with a 2-0 win over Iraq in Basra.
Uzbekistan claimed its spot at the expanded 48-team finals with a 0-0 draw against the United Arab Emirates, which guaranteed Timur Kapadze's side a top two finish in Group A of the preliminaries alongside already-qualified Iran.
Kim Jin-gyu and Oh Hyeon-gyu were on target in the second half for the Koreans against 10-man Iraq, and that win not only secured qualification for Hong Myung-bo's side from Group B but confirmed Jordan would also progress.
The West Asians had beaten Oman 3-0 earlier in the evening through a hat-trick from Ali Olwan, but Jamal Sellami's side had to wait for the outcome of Iraq's meeting with the Koreans before being able to celebrate their World Cup berth.
Goals from Musab Al-Juwayr and Abdulrahman Al-Obud earned Saudi Arabia a victory that puts Australia's celebrations on hold until the two nations meet in Jeddah on Tuesday.
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But Australia's vastly superior goal difference means it can lose that meeting with the Saudis by up to four goals and still advance to a sixth consecutive World Cup finals as second-placed finisher behind the Japanese.
Uzbekistan goalkeeper Utkir Yusupov made a string of second-half saves in Abu Dhabi to frustrate the UAE and earn his nation its first World Cup qualification since the country gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Abbosbek Fayzullaev had hit the crossbar with a 54th-minute header for the visitor, but it was Yusupov who frustrated the Cosmin Olaroiu-coached Emiratis, which needed to win to maintain its hopes of automatic qualification.
The draw means the UAE will now progress to the fourth round of qualifying as the point earned guarantees a third- or fourth-placed finish in Group A.
The first two finishers in each of the three qualifying groups progress automatically to the World Cup while the teams in third and fourth advance to October's fourth round to battle for another two berths at the finals.
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