Saudi Arabia players celebrate after winning the World Cup 2018 qualifying soccer match against Iraq
Iran and Brazil, along with host Russia, are the only teams so far assured of a place at the 2018 World Cup. Three more Asian teams will secure their place in the tournament draw in December over the next week as qualifying resumes.
With Iran already securing qualification from Group A, South Korea and Uzbekistan are vying for the second automatic qualifying spot. In Group B, there is a three-way tussle between Japan, Saudi Arabia and Asian Cup champion Australia to finish in the top two.
The two third-place teams from each group will contest a playoff in October to determine who goes into an intercontinental qualifier against the fourth-place team in qualifying from CONCACAF, the North and Central America and the Caribbean confederation.
GROUP A
After all the upheaval from two recent losses that cost Uli Stielike his job as coach, South Korea has a one-point cushion over third-place Uzbekistan and can secure a place in Russia with victory at home against unbeaten Iran on Thursday — if Uzbekistan loses in China. Any other combination of results will leave the second spot up for grabs when the South Koreans travel to Tashkent five days later for its final group game.
South Korea has qualified for the last eight World Cups, and former South Korea midfielder Shin Tae-yong has taken over as coach with the sole aim of extending that streak to nine.
Fourth-place Syria, which is four points behind South Korea and still has a chance to qualify automatically, will play Qatar on neutral territory in Malaysia on Thursday. China and 2022 World Cup host Qatar each need two wins from the last two matches to stay in the mix.
GROUP B
Second-place Saudi Arabia kicks off match day nine at the fourth-place United Arab Emirates in a strong position to return to the World Cup for the first time since 2006.
Japan leads the group with 17 points, a one-point buffer over Australia and Saudi Arabia — countries it will meet in its last two games in Saitama and Jeddah, five days apart — and seven points clear of the UAE.
The Japanese could secure qualification for a sixth consecutive World Cup with a win over Australia, but two losses or two draws over the six-day span could see them slip to third.
Unbeaten Australia will be without injured captain Mile Jedinak. Tim Cahill, a veteran of three World Cups and 100 games for Australia, is hoping his team can finally produce its first win in Japan since 1969.
“I’m very focused on being prepared and making sure we are ready for such a big occasion,” Cahill said.
Thailand hosts Iraq on Thursday in a game between two teams which have no chance of making it to Russia.
OCEANIA
Soccer’s smallest region — Oceania — doesn’t have a guaranteed spot at the World Cup. Instead, the final two qualification matches in the confederation determine who will contest a playoff against a South American team for a place in Russia.
New Zealand and the Solomon Islands meet in a home-and-
away playoff on Friday and on Sept. 5. The winner could face a daunting opponent in the inter-continental playoff against the fifth place team from South America, with two-time World Cup winner Argentina currently occupying that spot.
“The time pressures of this week are huge and unique,” New Zealand coach Anthony Hudson said. “We only have our full squad together for two and a half days before kick-off on Friday night so every minute with the team counts. This isn’t an excuse, it’s the opposite — it’s a great opportunity for us.”
The New Zealanders qualified by topping Group A of the continental tournament, with a win and a draw against New Caledonia and two wins over Fiji.
New Zealand lost an inter-continental playoff against Mexico in 2014, missing out on a spot in the World Cup in Brazil after going through the group stage in the 2010 tournament unbeaten.
New Zealand has injury problems as it prepares to host the first leg against the Solomon Islands. Captain Winston Reid, defender Tommy Smith, midfielder Marco Rojas and striker Shane Smeltz are all sidelined.
Smeltz, one of the stars of New Zealand’s World Cup campaign in 2010, has been replaced by Wellington Phoenix forward Alex Rufer, the son of former All Whites midfielder Shane Rufer.
All but two players on the Solomons squad were picked from the domestic competition. The Solomon Islands needed to beat Tahiti and Papua New Guinea to advance.
All 32 World Cup slots will be settled by November, ahead of the tournament draw the following month in Moscow. MDT/AP
