Asian champ Iraq ousted

Source: Agencies  |   2008-6-24  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

Qatar coach Jorge Fossati Lurachi (center) celebrates with players after beating Iraq 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Dubai. More in photo gallery

---

QATAR beat Iraq 1-0 on Sunday to eliminate the continental champion and join the United Arab Emirates as the final two teams to advance to the fourth round of Asian World Cup qualifying.

The United Arab Emirates lost 1-3 at home to Syria, but still advanced on goal difference, managing to hold on by one goal.

Sayd Ali Bechir scored in the 77th minute, heading a cross from Hussain Abdulrahman to give Qatar the victory at Dubai.

Iraq only needed a draw to advance to the next stage, but rarely threatened until the second half.

"This is a very sad day for us," Iraq coach Adnan Hamad said. "We had our chances, but we simply failed to take them."

Qatar joined Australia as the two teams from Group 1 to advance. The next round will divide the 10 advancing teams into two groups of five. The top two teams in each of those groups will qualify for South Africa, while the third-place teams will enter a two-leg playoff for a last opportunity to reach the World Cup finals against the Oceania champion.

In Al Ain, Jehad al-Houssain scored twice to lead Syria, but a penalty in the 80th by Ismaeil Matar earned Qatar passage to the next round. Syria needed to win by at least three goals to advance, but didn't get its third goal until Firas al-Khatib scored in injury time.

The UAE finished its Group 5 campaign with a zero goal difference, while Syria ended with minus one. The result sent the Emirates through with Iran, which closed out its third round of qualifying with a 2-0 victory at home over Kuwait on goals by Javad Nekounam and Gholamreza Rezai.

Besides Australia and Iran, Qatar and the UAE advanced to the fourth round along with Japan, Bahrain, North and South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan.

The draw for the final round of qualifying will be held on Friday.