BANGKOK, Thailand -- Thailand gained the last berth in the finals of
Asian qualifying for next year's World Cup by tying Lebanon 2-2 Thursday.
Bahrain, China, Iran, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab
Emirates and Uzbekistan also are in the 10-nation finals. FIFA will divide the
teams into two groups, and the group winners qualify for next year's tournament
in Japan and South Korea.
The winner of a home-and-home playoff between the second-place teams
advances to another home-and-home playoff against a European nation for another
berth.
Lebanon (4-1-1), which would have won the group with a victory, went ahead
on Vartan Ghazarian's goal in the 36th minute, but Sakesan Pituratana tied it
in the 72nd minute and Tawan Sripan put Thailand (5-0-1) ahead in the 77th.
Moussa Heiji retied it in the 87th.
Thailand had defeated Lebanon 2-1 at Beirut on May 17.
In Wednesday's other game, Sri Lanka (1-4-1) beat Pakistan 3-1. Pakistan
finished last at 0-5-1.
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
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