Uzbekistan, Jordan Qualify For 2026 FIFA World Cup; China Eliminated
Three additional Asian teams have secured their spots for the 2026 FIFA World Cup following the latest round of qualifiers. Uzbekistan and Jordan will make their tournament debuts, while South Korea has extended its streak to 11 consecutive appearances. Conversely, China has been eliminated with one match remaining.
Uzbekistan clinched its place with a goalless draw against the United Arab Emirates in Group A. This result was sufficient for the Central Asian team, featuring Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov and Roma forward Eldor Shomurodov, to become the fifth team to qualify for the tournament, joining Japan, New Zealand, Iran, and Argentina.
In the same group, Qatar, the host of the 2022 World Cup, narrowly defeated 10-man Iran 1-0.
Both Qatar and the UAE will advance to the playoffs, where two additional World Cup spots will be contested, according to Xinhua.
In Group B, Jordan made history by qualifying for its first World Cup with a 3-0 victory over Oman. South Korea, a regular participant on the world stage, secured a 2-0 away win against Iraq to maintain its perfect run since 1986. Iraq will join the playoffs, while the final playoff spot from the group will be decided between Oman and Palestine, who face off in the final round.
China's slim hopes were extinguished in Group C after a 1-0 defeat to Indonesia in Jakarta. Ole Romeny converted a penalty just before halftime to secure the win and send Indonesia to the playoff round, while China was left to reflect on another unsuccessful campaign.
Bahrain also exited contention following a 2-0 loss to Saudi Arabia. In another match, Australia claimed a 1-0 victory over Japan in Perth, positioning itself strongly to secure a direct berth from the group. The Socceroos lead Saudi Arabia by three points and have a +8 goal difference advantage heading into the final round.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States from June 11 to July 19, with 48 teams competing across 48 venues.
(With IANS Inputs)
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