HANGZHOU, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Iran secured a 2-2 draw against Uzbekistan on Tuesday to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with two qualifiers still to play in hands. Meanwhile, China suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Australia, marking its third consecutive loss and ending its hopes of automatic qualification.

In Hangzhou, China fell to Australia in front of a record crowd of 70,588 at the Olympic Sports Center Stadium.

In the 16th minute, midfielder Jackson Irvine capitalized on a defensive slip by Huang Zhengyu, curling the ball into the net to give Australia an early lead. China's struggles continued in the 29th minute when goalkeeper Wang Dalei mishandled a shot from Nishan Velupillay, allowing Australia to double its lead.

In the second half, China made several tactical adjustments and created a few opportunities, but failed to find the back of the net.

With this victory, Australia climbs to second place in Group C with 13 points, while China remains bottom with six points.

Elsewhere in Group C, Japan, having already secured a World Cup ticket, played out a 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia, while Indonesia claimed a crucial 1-0 home victory over Bahrain, moving up to fourth place with nine points.

Both China and Bahrain are now out of contention for direct qualification. China will travel to Indonesia on June 5, where a defeat would eliminate it from World Cup qualification outright with one match remaining.

In Group A, ten-man Qatar suffered a 3-1 defeat to Kyrgyzstan, while Iran came from behind twice to secure its World Cup place, becoming the third team to qualify for the 2026 tournament after Japan and New Zealand.

Elsewhere, the United Arab Emirates clinched a dramatic 2-1 away win over DPR Korea, confirming at least a top-four finish in the group alongside Uzbekistan. DPR Korea, with just two points from eight games, became the first team in the group to be eliminated.

In Group B, South Korea was held to a 1-1 draw at home by Jordan, marking its second consecutive home draw. However, it remains top of the group with a three-point lead over Jordan, with both teams confirming at least a top-four finish. Palestine pulled off a shock 2-1 victory over former Asian Cup champions Iraq, reducing the gap to fourth-placed Oman to four points. Meanwhile, Kuwait suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Oman, sitting bottom with five points.

The ninth round of qualifying matches will take place on June 5. Enditem

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