Iran on Tuesday became the second Asian side to secure a place at the FIFA World Cup after twice coming from behind to draw 2-2 with Uzbekistan in Tehran, handing organizers a likely diplomatic headache.
Iran, the second-highest ranked AFC side in the FIFA standings, needed only a point to join Japan in qualifying for the finals in the US, Canada and Mexico.
However, Iran would head to North America with relations strained as US President Donald Trump takes a hard line over opening new nuclear talks with Tehran.
Photo: AFP
The Group A leaders were made to work hard at the Azadi Stadium by upward-trending Uzbekistan, with Mehdi Taremi scoring seven minutes from time — his second of the match — to seal the point.
“We have to thank the fans who filled the stadium today, and thank God they did not leave empty-handed,” Iran captain Alireza Jahanbakhsh said.
Third-placed United Arab Emirates defeated bottom team North Korea 2-1 to move four points behind Uzbekistan, while Asian champions Qatar are out of the running for automatic qualification after a 3-1 loss in Kyrgyzstan.
Photo: Reuters
Earlier on Tuesday, Australia beat China 2-0 to boost their chances of automatic qualification, but Saudi Arabia stayed in touch in Group C with a goalless draw in Japan.
In Asian Group B, Son Heung-min’s South Korea remain top and favorites to progress, but they put in another toothless performance as they were held at home for the second match in a row — this time 1-1 by Jordan.
Elsewhere, Argentina celebrated their World Cup qualification with a dazzling 4-1 thrashing of archrivals Brazil in Buenos Aires.
Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister and Giuliano Simeone sealed an emphatic win for the world champions, who had been assured of their World Cup berth after Bolivia’s 0-0 draw with Uruguay earlier on Tuesday.
That goalless stalemate ensured a festive atmosphere at the Monumental before a ball had been kicked and Argentina kept the party going with a blistering performance.
Additional reporting by AP
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
The Minnesota Timberwolves, with so many promising performances spoiled by late mistakes fresh in their memory bank, sure timed this strong finish well. Jaden McDaniels scored a career playoff-high 30 points and spearheaded Minnesota’s stifling defense on an ailing Luka Doncic, and the Timberwolves beat the Los Angeles Lakers 116-104 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Friday night. “Jaden never looks tired. He looks like he could play 48 minutes,” said teammate Anthony Edwards, who had 29 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Julius Randle added 22 points for the Wolves, who outscored
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
RSS