Uzbekistan vs South Korea AFC WC Qualifiers

The 28-year-old slipped the ball into the net in the 93rd minute to empty the Syrian bench in celebration and seal third place in the group and entry into the playoffs.

The Socceroos and Thailand face off live and free on 9GO from 7:30pm AEST. The Saudis had a +2 goal difference in their favour over the Aussies.

In the group’s other game, China defeated Qatar 2-1 in Doha, but the other results denied it the opportunity to sneak into third.

Syria started on the front foot and their early dominance was rewarded with a goal, as Tamer Haj Mohamad bundled in the rebound after Omar Al Somah’s free-kick was initially saved. Australia hit the post three times until Tom Juric broke the deadlock in the 69th minute.

“I feel grateful that we reached the World Cup, but it’s a shame that we couldn’t win”, Son said after the match against Uzbekistan.

“I am very proud of my players”, Syria coach Ayman Hakeem said.

The Syrians are on a massive high after surprising Iran in Tehran.

“I have promised customers desserts on the house if we win”, said Ali, who has plastered a massive poster of the national team on the wall.

Uzbekistan would have qualified with a win over South Korea in Tashkent.

Syria have never reached the World Cup before, and their current success comes despite the brutal civil war that has forced them to play all their home games overseas.

If you bet £25 on any player to top the table at the end of the season, they’ll give a £5 free bet for every game he scores in until October.

They were truly wonderful scenes yesterday, the like of which we just never see in this country unless England somehow won the World Cup.

Australia, the reigning Asian champions, will face Syria in a playoff to stay in contention for a World Cup place after both teams missed the chance to seal automatic qualification, as the group stages of Asian qualifying drew to a close. Whichever side wins the play-off will meet either Costa Rica or Trinidad and Tobago or more probably Panama, United States or Honduras in an inter-confederation play-off.

Coach Ange Postecoglou, who led Australia to the Asian Cup title in 2015, brushed off questions about his future while admitting he was “not everyone’s cup of tea”.

Stand-in captain Kim Yong Gwon sparked anger and ridicule when he complained that teammates could not hear one another against Iran because of the noise made by 63,000 screaming fans in Seoul’s World Cup stadium.