Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
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Tehran, SANA – The Syrian football team qualified for the play-offs of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification after tying with Iran 2-2 in the match held in Tehran on Tuesday evening.
The Syrian team gained an early lead at the 13 minutes mark with a goal by Tamer Hajj Mohammad, but the Iranian team scored the equalizer at the last minute of the first half from a corner kick.
In the second half, the Iranian team took advantage of the Syrian team’s defensive play, scoring a second goal at the 64 minutes mark, and as the match was nearing its end Omar al-Soma scored Syria’s second goal at the 93 minutes mark.
With this, Iran leads the first Asian Football Confederation (AFC) group with 22 points, qualifying along with South Korea which is at second place with 15 points, followed by Syria in third place with 13 points, while Uzbekistan ended up in fourth place with 13 points but less goals that Syria, and China came fifth with 12 points and Qatar in sixth with 7 points.
In the play-offs, the Syrian team will play in the first and second leg matches against the third of the second AFC group which hasn’t been decided yet, and the winner will face the fourth team in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) for a spot at the 2018 World Cup.
Hazem Sabbagh
