1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC and OFC)
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Listed below are the dates and results for the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the Asian and Oceanian zone (AFC and OFC). For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification.
A total of 22 AFC and OFC teams entered the competition. However, South Vietnam cannot compete after being annexed by Vietnam. The Asian zone was allocated 1 place (out of 16) in the final tournament.
There would be two rounds of play:
- First Round: The 21 teams would be divided into 5 groups. The groups had different rules, as follows:
- Group 1 had 6 teams. The teams would play against each other once in Singapore. The top 2 teams after the group matches would play against each other in a single match. The winner would advance to the Final Round.
- Groups 2 and 3 had 4 teams each. The teams would play against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners would qualify.
- Group 4 had 4 teams. The teams would play against each other twice in Qatar. The group winner would qualify.
- Group 5 had 3 teams. The teams would play against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winner would qualify.
- Final Round: The 5 teams would play against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winner would qualify.
Contents |
[edit] AFC / OFC First Round
[edit] Group 1
Sri Lanka withdrew.
February 27, 1977, Singapore - 
Singapore 2 - 0 
Thailand
February 28, 1977, Singapore - 
Hong Kong 4 - 1 
Indonesia
March 1, 1977, Singapore - 
Malaysia 6 - 4 Thailand
March 2, 1977, Singapore - Singapore 2 - 2 Hong Kong
March 3, 1977, Singapore - Indonesia 0 - 0 Malaysia
March 5, 1977, Singapore - Hong Kong 2 - 1 Thailand
March 6, 1977, Singapore - Singapore 1 - 0 Malaysia
March 7, 1977, Singapore - Thailand 3 - 2 Indonesia
March 8, 1977, Singapore - Hong Kong 1 - 1 Malaysia
March 9, 1977, Singapore - Singapore 0 - 4 Indonesia
| Rank | Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hong Kong |
6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 4 |
| 2 | Singapore |
5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | -1 |
| 3 | Malaysia |
4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 1 |
| 4 | Indonesia |
3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 5 | Thailand |
2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 12 | -4 |
Hong Kong and Singapore finished in the top two places, and a play-off was played to decide who would advance to the Final Round.
March 12, 1977, Singapore - Hong Kong 1 - 0 Singapore
Hong Kong advanced to the Final Round.
[edit] Group 2
North Korea withdrew.
February 27, 1977, Ramat Gan, Israel - 
Israel 0 - 0 
Korea Republic
March 6, 1977, Ramat Gan, Israel - Israel 2 - 0 
Japan
March 10, 1977, Ramat Gan, Israel - Japan 0 - 2 Israel
- This match was played in Israel instead of in Japan.
March 20, 1977, Seoul, South Korea - Korea Republic 3 - 1 Israel
March 26, 1977, Tokyo, Japan - Japan 0 - 0 Korea Republic
April 3, 1977, Seoul, South Korea - Korea Republic 1 - 0 Japan
| Rank | Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Korea Republic |
6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| 2 | Israel |
5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| 3 | Japan |
1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | -5 |
South Korea advanced to the Final Round.
[edit] Group 3
Iraq withdrew.
November 12, 1976, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - 
Saudi Arabia 2 - 0 
Syria
November 26, 1976, Damascus, Syria - Syria 2 - 1 Saudi Arabia
January 7, 1977, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia 0 - 3 
Iran
January 28, 1977, Damascus, Syria - Syria 0 - 1 Iran
April 4, 1977 - Iran 2 - 0 Syria
- FIFA awarded Iran a 2-0 win because Syria forfeited.
April 22, 1977, Shiraz, Iran - Iran 2 - 0 Saudi Arabia
| Rank | Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iran |
8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 2 | Saudi Arabia |
2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | -4 |
| 3 | Syria |
2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 6 | -4 |
Iran advanced to the Final Round.
[edit] Group 4
United Arab Emirates withdrew.
March 11, 1977, Doha, Qatar - 
Kuwait 2 - 0 
Bahrain
March 13, 1977, Doha, Qatar - 
Qatar 2 - 0 Bahrain
March 15, 1977, Doha, Qatar - Qatar 0 - 2 Kuwait
March 17, 1977, Doha, Qatar - Kuwait 2 - 1 Bahrain
March 19, 1977, Doha, Qatar - Qatar 0 - 3 Bahrain
March 21, 1977, Doha, Qatar - Qatar 1 - 4 Kuwait
| Rank | Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kuwait |
8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 8 |
| 2 | Bahrain |
2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 6 | -2 |
| 3 | Qatar |
2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 | -6 |
Kuwait advanced to the Final Round.
[edit] Group 5
Both matches between Australia and Chinese Taipei were played on neutral ground instead.
March 13, 1977, Suva, Fiji - 
Australia 3 - 0 
Chinese Taipei
March 16, 1977, Suva, Fiji - Chinese Taipei 1 - 2 Australia
March 20, 1977, Auckland, New Zealand - 
New Zealand 6 - 0 Chinese Taipei
March 23, 1977, Auckland, New Zealand - Chinese Taipei 0 - 6 New Zealand
- This match was played in New Zealand instead of in Taiwan.
March 27, 1977, Sydney, Australia - Australia 3 - 1 New Zealand
March 30, 1977, Auckland, New Zealand - New Zealand 1 - 1 Australia
| Rank | Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia |
7 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 6 |
| 2 | New Zealand |
5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 4 | 10 |
| 3 | Chinese Taipei |
0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 17 | -16 |
Australia advanced to the Final Round.
[edit] AFC / OFC Final Round
June 19, 1977, Hong Kong - Hong Kong 0 - 2 Iran
June 26, 1977, Hong Kong - Hong Kong 0 - 1 Korea Republic
July 3, 1977, Busan, South Korea - Korea Republic 0 - 0 Iran
July 10, 1977, Adelaide, Australia - Australia 3 - 0 Hong Kong
August 14, 1977, Melbourne, Australia - Australia 0 - 1 Iran
August 27, 1977, Sydney, Australia - Australia 2 - 1 Korea Republic
October 2, 1977, Hong Kong - Hong Kong 1 - 3 Kuwait
October 9, 1977, Seoul, South Korea - Korea Republic 1 - 0 Kuwait
October 16, 1977, Sydney, Australia - Australia 1 - 2 Kuwait
October 23, 1977, Seoul, South Korea - Korea Republic 0 - 0 Australia
October 28, 1977, Tehran, Iran - Iran 1 - 0 Kuwait
October 30, 1977, Hong Kong - Hong Kong 2 - 5 Australia
November 5, 1977, Kuwait, Kuwait - Kuwait 2 - 2 Korea Republic
November 11, 1977, Tehran, Iran - Iran 2 - 2 Korea Republic
November 12, 1977, Kuwait, Kuwait - Kuwait 4 - 0 Hong Kong
November 18, 1977, Tehran, Iran - Iran 3 - 0 Hong Kong
November 19, 1977, Kuwait, Kuwait - Kuwait 1 - 0 Australia
November 25, 1977, Tehran, Iran - Iran 1 - 0 Australia
December 3, 1977, Kuwait, Kuwait - Kuwait 1 - 2 Iran
December 4, 1977, Seoul, South Korea - Korea Republic 5 - 2 Hong Kong
| Rank | Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iran |
14 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 9 |
| 2 | Korea Republic |
10 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 4 |
| 3 | Kuwait |
9 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 8 | 5 |
| 4 | Australia |
7 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 8 | 3 |
| 5 | Hong Kong |
0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 26 | -21 |
Iran qualified.
