JEDDAH, 29 September — Saudi Arabia flattered only to disappoint yesterday as Iran came back into the key tie twice to clinch a 2-2 draw in the Group A of the World Cup qualifier.
At the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium here, a capacity crowd roared their approval as the home team struck true twice to go ahead only to find their cheers muted with two swift replies from Iran in a match which was mostly restricted to protracted midfield play for possession peppered with some individual flair.
But on the occasions the teams revved up their charges they looked dangerous. With both teams’ relative strengths being level, Saudi Arabia’s occasional lapses by allowing yawning spaces at the back for Iran to string up moves proved crucial.
Iran cashed in on this twice, the second goal coming with only eight minutes from time. If the Kingdom lads had held on to their slender 2-1 edge till the second leveler, Iran would have been hard pressed with the others in the group too making their late challenge.
But as it turned out, Sirous Dinmohammadi slipped th?rough a gap in the Saudi defense and grabbed an equalizer for Iran to stun the vociferous home crowd. The game began with the Saudi slowly taking the ascendancy and from one quick run down the flank Sami Jaber broke into the box after eluding two defenders. But he was brutally hacked down inside the penalty area and the resultant penalty was converted by Abdullah Al-Waked in the 20th minute.
But sustained pressure from then on by Iran saw them go into the break on level terms. Three minutes before halftime, following a set piece from the right, a floater dipped into the front of the goal and veteran Ali Daei rose above the group of four vying for the ball to nod home.
Substitute Al-Hassan Al-Yami then made it 2-1 for the home side in the 58th minute but Dinmohammadi’s equalizer put paid to the Saudis hopes of taking home three points. Saudi Arabia top the group with 11 points from six games but Iran too are in the fray for the automatic qualifying spot with nine points from five games.
Iraq kept alive their slim hopes with a 1-0 win over Bahrain in their Asian Zone Group A qualifier in Baghdad. Striker Emad Mohammed scored the only goal of the game after 11 minutes.
The victory moved Iraq into third place in the group with seven points from six games. It is likely that Iraq will need to win their remaining two matches against Iran and Saudi Arabia to stand a chance of progressing. The country finishing second faces the runners-up in Group B to decide who meets the runners-up from European Group Two — with the winners going through to the finals in Japan and South Korea.
In Doha, Ahmad Khalifa Hashim claimed an 88th-minute equalizer to save Qatar’s blushes in a 2-2 draw at home to Uzbekistan in their Group B qualifier yesterday. The result nevertheless threw open the race for second place in the group.
Qatar, second in the group with nine points, and Uzbekistan and the UAE, who are both on seven points, are all in contention with two games to go. China lead the group with 13 points from five matches and are within sight of making their first World Cup finals.
Muhammad Salem Al-Enazi put Qatar in front, capitalizing on a mistake by goalkeeper Aleksey Polyakov. Uzbekistan, stung into action, restored parity through Mirvjalal Kasimov, who was well placed to turn in a corner by Jafar Irismetov on the stroke of halftime.
The visitors’ determination was rewarded when Nikolay Shirshov netted three minutes into the second half to give Uzbekistan the lead. Qatar pressed in search of an equalizer and, just when it appeared Uzbekistan would hold on to earn three points, Hashim pounced on the late chance.
