By 1997, Japan had established themselves as among the best in Asia but had yet to reach the FIFA World Cup. The Islamic Republic of Iran, meanwhile, were seeking to return to the global showpiece some 20 years after making their only previous appearance, in 1978, as the sides faced off in the Malaysian city of Johor Bahru with a direct ticket to France 1998 on the line. 

 

For the Samurai Blue, the one-legged contest came four years after the ‘Agony of Doha’, when a last-minute Iraq equaliser had denied them a place at USA 1994. And it was Masashi Nakayama, whose goal four years earlier looked to have booked Japan’s World Cup spot, who opened the scoring six minutes before the interval after being teed up by a 20-year-old Hidetoshi Nakata.

The Iranians turned the game on its head early in the second half, though, as goals from Khodadad Azizi and Ali Daei had them in the driving seat by the hour mark, leaving Takeshi Okada’s Japan facing the prospect of another demoralising defeat.

 

But Japan rose to the occasion and the impressive Nakata took centre stage once more, floating in a beautiful delivery from the left with 15 minutes to play for substitute Shoji Jo to send a downward header into the bottom corner with a goal that would ultimately force extra-time.

And this time it was to be the Japanese who tasted glory at the last as, with 118 minutes on the clock and penalties on the horizon, Iran goalkeeper Ahmad Reza Abedzadeh bundled a Nakata strike into the path of substitute Masayuki Okano, who finished into an empty net to send Japan on their way to France. 

 

Iran’s misery proved short-lived, however, as Team Melli joined the Samurai Blue in the Finals after edging Australia (then part of the Oceania Football Confederation) on away goals in the Inter-Confederation Playoff following a 3-3 aggregate draw.

A scoreless draw against DPR Korea on home soil had denied Saudi Arabia automatic qualification to the 2010 FIFA World Cup as they sought to advance to a fifth successive edition, while Bahrain had comfortably finished third in their group without ever truly threatening the top two of Australia and Japan. 

 

The Gulf nations played out a goalless stalemate in the first leg at Bahrain National Stadium as they set up a do-or-die clash in Riyadh, where arguably the most dramatic ending in AFC Asian Qualifiers history would take place

Nasser Al Shamrani delighted the home support in the Saudi capital by putting the hosts in front inside 15 minutes but Jaycee John tapped home at the back post to draw Bahrain level as half-time approached and, crucially, see them take an away-goals lead. 

 

Tension gripped as the game entered stoppage time and the Saudis threw everything forward in search of the goal that would surely win the tie. And they got their reward in the 91st minute when Yasser Al Qahtani’s lofted cross from the byline was headed home by Hamad Al Montashari to spark joyous scenes all around King Fahd International Stadium as the Green Falcons seemingly snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

But there remained time for one last dramatic twist in the tale when the visitors earned a corner in the final minute of added time. Salman Isa delivered an outswinger from the left which substitute Ismail Abdullatif headed into the bottom corner from eight yards as Bahrain capped an outrageous few minutes by eliminating the Saudis at the death.

 

However, just like four years earlier, when Trinidad and Tobago ended their World Cup dream at the Inter-Confederation Playoff stage, New Zealand dealt Bahrain more heartache by running out 1-0 aggregate winners to deny the West Asians a place at South Africa 2010.

Jordan vs Uzbekistan (2014 Asian Playoff)
Two sides aiming to reach the FIFA World Cup for the first time faced off in the 2014 qualifying campaign as Jordan and Uzbekistan produced a nail-biting affair that went all the way to the wire. 

Amman’s King Abdullah Stadium was the setting for the first leg and the Jordanian crowd was brought to its feet on the half hour when Mussab Al Laham finished off a fine flowing move to open the scoring. But the Uzbeks responded with two-time AFC Player of the Year Server Djeparov levelling just five minutes later as the teams headed to the return meeting in Tashkent all square. 

The Central Asians took an early lead at Pakhtakor Stadium when goalkeeper Amer Shafi parried Djeparov’s free-kick into the path of defender Anzur Ismailov, who made no mistake with the finish, but Jordan struck back in stunning style when Saeed Murjan fired home from fully 30 yards as half-time approached.

 

With no further goals in the second half and extra-time, the tie would ultimately be decided from the spot and, incredibly, after nine penalties apiece the sides remained level at 8-8.

Mohammad Al Dmeiri held his nerve to tuck home penalty number 10 for Jordan before, in the cruellest possible fashion, Ismailov went from hero to villain as Uzbekistan’s goalscorer saw his spot-kick saved by Shafi to ensure Jordan rejoiced following a remarkable climax. 

 

The West Asians’ bid to qualify for Brazil 2014, though, was ended in emphatic style as a 5-0 defeat to Uruguay in the first leg of the Inter-Confederation Playoff in Amman brought the dream to an end.

Syria’s run to the Asian Playoffs in the 2018 qualifying campaign captured global headlines as the Qasioun Eagles pushed Korea Republic all the way in the race for automatic progression to the FIFA World Cup before their eventual third-place finish in their group lined up a clash with Australia. 

 

Looking to reach their fourth successive World Cup, the Socceroos went in front through Robbie Kruse’s close-range finish shortly before half-time in the first leg in Malaysia, before Australia's Tomi Juric and Syria's Omar Al Soma were both denied by the woodwork.

Al Soma, though, was handed another chance to level when, after being fouled by Mathew Leckie with five minutes to play, the Syrians were awarded a penalty. The prolific number nine confidently dispatched from the spot to ensure the sides headed for the second leg at Stadium Australia with the tie firmly in the balance. 

 

Al Soma continued where he left off as he stunned the Sydney crowd by putting the visitors in front inside six minutes after latching onto a through ball by Hamer Taj Mohamed and finishing with aplomb. But the hosts equalised just seven minutes later when a sumptuous Leckie cross from the right was headed home in typical fashion by Tim Cahil

With Syria holding on as the game headed into added time, Mahmoud Al Mawas was dismissed for a second bookable offence to leave the West Asians facing a gruelling 30 minutes of extra-time, and they were given a mountain to climb when Cahill rose highest to head home a lofted Kruse cross in the 109th minute.

 

As the clock ticked down, Al Soma struck the outside of the post with a late free-kick from distance but it was not to be for Syria, whose fairy tale run was ended in heartbreaking fashion as Ange Postecoglou’s men advanced to an Inter-Confederation Playoff against Honduras before ultimately reaching their fifth World Cup.