FIFA World Cup qualifiers: Disappointing Oman exits

Date

3/30/2016 12:38:17 PM

(MENAFN- Muscat Daily)

It was never going to be easy for Oman against a fancied Iranian outfit at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran.

On Tuesday the hosts comfortably finished 2-0 victors against the Red Warriors in a Group D match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup/2019 Asian Cup joint qualifiers.

The defeat for Juan Ramon Lopez Caro's men also ended their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign as they failed to finish among the top four runner-up teams from the eight groups in the second round.

Iran's win at the Azadi

Stadium completed an unbeaten run for Team Melli and more importantly it elevated them to the third round of qualifying.

Iran garnered 20 points from its eight matches while Oman finished second with 14 points which was not enough for it to end among the best four runner-up teams.

Sardar Azmoun was the star of the evening as he came up with a first-half brace that was enough for the hosts to win their final match. Azmoun opened the scoring from a corner kick in the 16th minute.

The forward leapt higher than anyone else in the penalty area and his effort was too powerful for Oman goalkeeper and captain Ali al Habsi.

Seven minutes later he came up with a similar attempt as he again headed in another corner kick.

Iran joined Australia Japan South Korea Qatar Saudi Arabia Thailand and Uzbekistan as the group toppers to advance.

The best four second-placed teams at the conclusion of the second round of the Asian qualifiers were UAE Syria Iraq and China.

In another Group D match Turkmenistan came from a goal down to defeat hosts India 2-1 in Kochi to finish third. India ended at the bottom.

The 12 teams in the third and final round will be divided into two groups of six teams each with the top two from each group automatically qualifying for Russia while the fifth best team will enter into an intercontinental playoff against a CONCACAF opponent.

The draw for the final round of Asian qualifiers is scheduled to be held on April 12.

Oman which is among the other four runner-up teams will progress to the third round of qualifying for the 2019 Asian Cup along with all the third-placed teams and four best fourth-placed teams.

The remaining sides which include Bangladesh will now have to negotiate past two rounds of playoffs for one of the final eight spots in the Asian Cup third qualifying round.

Tuesday's results: Group A: Saudi Arabia 1 UAE 1 Palestine 7 Timor Leste 0; Group B:

Australia 5 Jordan 1 Tajikistan 0 Kyrgyzstan 1; Group C: China 2 Qatar 0 Maldives 4 Bhutan 2; Group D: Iran 2 Oman 0 India 1 Turkmenistan 2; Group E: Japan 5 Syria 0 Afghanistan 2

Singapore 1; Group F: Iraq 1 Vietnam 0; Group G: Lebanon 1 Myanmar 1; Group H: Philippines 3 North Korea 2 Uzbekistan 1 Bahrain 0.

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