Australia, Iran and Iraq join Jordan, Japan and Uzbekistan in next round RIYADH – Oman held host Saudi Arabia to a scoreless draw in the 2014 World Cup Asian Zone qualifying match at the King Fahd International Stadium here to keep the runner-up spot in Group D still open. The draw left Saudi Arabia on six points ahead of its trip to Australia with Oman third on five and Thailand last on four. Oman hosts Thailand in its final Group D match. Australia, Iran and Iraq are through to the final round after they all won away matches. Australia beat Thailand 1-0 to ensure it will finish at the top of Group D and be one of 10 countries to progress to the fourth round of qualifying. Iran defeated Indonesia 4-1 and advanced after Qatar was later held to a 0-0 draw at home by Bahrain, and Iraq won 3-1 at Jordan to go through and knock out China from contention despite its 4-0 victory over Singapore. The 10 countries will be divided into two groups of five teams, with the top two from each group qualifying for the World Cup. The two third-place teams then meet to decide which of them goes into an intercontinental playoff for a place at the 2014 finals in Brazil. Uzbekistan, already assured of reaching the next round, scored two second-half goals in beating 10-man Tajikistan 3-0. Kuwait came from a goal down to beat United Arab Emirates 2-1 and keep its chances of advancing alive. Lebanon upset South Korea 2-1 to move into a strong position to advance, while North Korea defeated visiting Japan 1-0 in a game with no impact on qualification for the next round. In Beirut, Ali Al-Saadi gave Lebanon a shock 1-0 lead in the fifth minute but then conceded a penalty, converted by South Korea's Koo Ja-cheol in the 20th. Abbas Atwi restored Lebanon's lead from the penalty spot on the half-hour mark and his side held on. Group B leader South Korea has 10 points, the same as Lebanon, which trails on goal difference after five games. Results: Group A: At Singapore – Singapore 0, China 4. At Amman – Jordan 1, Iraq 3. Group B: At Beirut – Lebanon 2, South Korea 1. At Kuwait City – Kuwait 2, UAE 1. Group C: At Pyongyang – North Korea 1, Japan 0. At Tashkent – Uzbekistan 3, Tajikistan 0. Group D: At Bangkok – Thailand 0 Australia 1. At Riyadh – Saudi Arabia 0, Oman 0. Group E: At Jakarta – Indonesia 1, Iran 4. At Doha – Qatar 0 Bahrain 0.
