Kuala Lumpur: With Thursday's FIFA World Cup qualifiers loomimg large on the horizon, join the-afc.com as we remind you of the teams in Group A of Asia's third qualifying round.
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GROUP A
IRAN
Opening game: September 1 v Qatar (HOME)
Iran had a mixed start to Preliminary Round 2 of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Asian Qualifiers having drawn 1-1 twice at the midway stage, but a strong second half, in which the three-time Asian champions scored 15 times and conceded just one in a run of four straight wins, saw Iran comfortably top Group D six points clear of second-placed Oman.
After debuting at the FIFA World Cup finals in 1978, Iran qualified for the global game’s most prestigious tournament on three further occasions. They appeared for a second time in 1998, defeating the USA for their first ever World Cup win, before going on to take part in Germany 2006 and Brazil 2014, where Team Melli were unable to follow up that famous victory in Lyon with a second World Cup win.
KOREA REPUBLIC
Opening game: September 1 v China (HOME)
The Taeguk Warriors marched into the Final Round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Asian Qualifiers in imperious fashion, scoring 24 times and conceding none during their seven successive victories to top Group G and emerge as the only team to advance with a 100% record.
Debuting in 1954, Korea Republic had to wait over three decades for a return to the FIFA World Cup finals, but their qualification for Mexico ’86 marked the beginning of an Asian record of participating in every edition of the global game’s biggest tournament since, a run that included reaching the semi-finals in 2002 when the South Koreans co-hosted the competition with Japan.
UZBEKISTAN
Opening game: Spetember 1 v Syria (HOME)
After an opening 4-2 defeat to DPR Korea, Samvel Babayan took over the managerial reigns from Mirdjalal Kasimov and oversaw a run seven straight victories - including big away wins in the Philippines (5-1) and Bahrain (4-0) - as the Uzbeks finished top of Group H.
Yet to participate at the finals having taken part in three FIFA World Cup qualifying campaigns since 1992, Uzbekistan reached the Asian playoffs on two occasions, bowing out to Bahrain on away goals in the qualifiers for 2006 before losing 9-8 on penalties to Jordan on the road to Brazil 2014.
CHINA
Opening game: September 1 v Korea Republic (AWAY)
Sitting third in Group C with two games remaining, China eased to victory over the Maldives before ending Qatar’s 100% record to squeeze through as the fourth-ranked of the second-placed sides, as the East Asians benefitted from final day defeats for DPR Korea, Jordan, and Oman.
All but one of their ten previous FIFA World Cup qualification campaigns have ended in disappointment, with China’s only ever appearance on football’s biggest stage coming when Asia hosted the tournament for the first time but after defeats to Costa Rica, Brazil, and Turkey, the East Asians bowed out at the Group Stage of Korea-Japan 2002.
QATAR
Opening game: September 1 v Iran (AWAY)
After a fortuitous stoppage-time goal against the Maldives gave Qatar a winning start to their 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Asian Qualifiers, Preliminary Round 2 qualifying campaign, Al Annabi went on a run of victories that saw them become the first side through to the Final Round, with their impressive winning streak - coupled with results elsewhere - guaranteeing a first-place finish in Group C with two games to spare.
As hosts of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Russia 2018 marks the last time Qatar can debut at the finals via a successful qualifying campaign having missed the cut for every edition of the World Cup since Argentina 1978.
SYRIA
Opening game: Spetember 1 v Uzbekistan (AWAY)
Despite the well-documented social upheaval in their homeland that saw their home matches played in Oman, Syria put in a strong showing in Round 2 of the qualifiers with the West Asians winning all their matches against Afghanistan, Cambodia, and Singapore, to finish runners-up in Group E behind Japan and advance to the Final Round of qualifiers as the second-ranked, second-placed side.
Progression marks the first time Syria have participated in the final round of FIFA World Cup qualifiers since losing 3-1 on aggregate to Iraq in the campaign to reach the 1986 finals in Mexico, while their hopes of reaching Brazil 2014 ended in the second round after they had fielded an ineligible player in their 6-1 aggregate win over Tajikistan.
Source: the-afc.com