Foot & Soccer Soccer Match Reports, Football News 
March 27 – The Street to 2026 Asian Qualifiers are taking place to the wire with two match days left in June to qualify 4 extra groups for the World Cup subsequent yr.
Spherical 3 of AFC qualifying has seen 18 groups in three teams of six with every nation taking part in one another residence away over the ten match schedule. The highest two groups in every group qualify direct to World Cup 2026 and after eight rounds of matches, Japan and Iran have secured their place.
Behind them the qualification battle is fierce.
In Group A Iran lead Uzbekistan by three factors who’re in flip 4 factors forward of the UAE. The UAE might nonetheless qualify however must beat Uzbekistan of their subsequent recreation on June 5 after which hope that the Uzbeks drop factors of their last recreation in opposition to Qatar. UAE might want to beat the Kyrgyz Republic.
They’ll try to take action with out supervisor Paulo Bento who, alongside along with his teaching employees have been dismissed after beating North Korea of their final qualifier 2-1.
Asian champions Qatar are positioned third in group A however are already out of automated qualification and must hod on to fourth place within the group to qualify for the fourth qualification spherical the place the third and fourth groups within the teams with kind two additional teams of three and play-off for 2 extra automated locations at World Cup 2026.
Group B is the tightest of the teams with 4 groups nonetheless in rivalry. South Korea high the group are three factors forward of Jordan who’re a degree forward of Iraq. Iraq play South Korea subsequent and a house win would put them a degree behind the Koreans with a recreation to play.
Second place Jordan play fourth positioned Oman who’re six factors of the highest and should win to remain in rivalry.
Wins for South Korea and Jordan would see them by way of to the finals, but when Iraq beat South Korea then their last recreation in opposition to Jordan will probably be a winner-takes-all battle.
In Group C Japan are runaway qualifiers, however behind them Australia are three factors forward of Saudi Arabia.
Australia face Japan subsequent whereas Saudi face Bahrain. If Japan beat Aussie and Saudi win the ultimate ties will see the Saudis host Australia with solely a win guaranteeing 2026 qualification.
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