Currently sitting at fourth place with eight points, just a point behind the UAE and two ahead of Lebanon, Iraq need to collect more points than their two direct rivals on the final matchday to sneak into third place and face Australia.

Iraq looked down and out going into the previous game against UAE in Riyadh, but Lebanon’s 3-0 defeat to Syria opened the door for coach Abdulghani Shahad’s men to revive their hopes which they duly did with their first win of the campaign as Hussein Ali scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 triumph.

Syria’s own maiden win of Group A came on Thursday too, but it was too little too late for the Qasioun Eagles who had already been eliminated after picking up only two points from their first eight games.

The absence of talismanic forwards Omar Al Somah and Omar Khribin seemed to have no impact as the Syrians ran riot at their neighbours ground, cruising to a 3-0 win that was sealed by halftime thanks to goals from Alaa Al Dali, Mardik Mardikian and Mohammed Al Marmour.

Two late goals in the reverse fixture meant the points were shared in Doha back in November. Al Somah volleyed home Khribin’s cross 11 minutes from time and Iraq responded in the 85th minute through Amir Al Ammari’s first international goal from the spot.

Oliver Kass Kawo and Amro Al Midani return from injuries for Syria and will be in contention to start while Ahmad Madania will continue between the sticks, having secured a clean sheet in the previous game, with regular goalkeeper Ibrahim Alma still sidelined with injury.

Meanwhile coach Shahad has a full squad to choose from for the Lions of Mesopotamia’s decisive fixture.

Venue: Rashid Stadium, Dubai 

Kick-off: 17:45 (UTC+4)