1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC and OFC)

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.

1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC and OFC)
Tournament details
Teams21 (from 2 confederations)
AFC Asian Qualifiers
FIFA World Cup
AFC Asian Cup
OFC Qualifiers
FIFA World Cup

A total of 21 AFC and OFC teams and Israel[1] entered the competition. However, South Vietnam could not 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 played against each other once in Singapore. The top 2 teams after the group matches played 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 played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winners would qualify.
    • Group 4 had 4 teams. The teams played against each other twice in Qatar. The group winner would qualify.
    • Group 5 had 3 teams. The teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winner would qualify.
  • Final Round: The 5 teams played against each other on a home-and-away basis. The group winner would qualify.

First round

Group 1
Rank Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1  Hong Kong 6422095+4
2  Singapore 5421156−1
3  Malaysia 4412176+1
4  Indonesia 34112770
5  Thailand 24103812−4
—  Sri Lanka Withdrew
27 February 1977 Singapore  2–0  Thailand National Stadium, Singapore
Quah Kim Song 48'
Rajagopal 70'		 Attendance: 55.000
Referee: Boskovic (Australia)
28 February 1977 Hong Kong  4–1  Indonesia Singapore
Chung Chor Wai 61' (pen.)
Wun Chee Keung 67'
Kwok Ka Ming 71'
Lau Wing Yip 83'		 Waskito Kaihun 12' Referee: Namdar (Iran)
1 March 1977 Malaysia  6–4  Thailand Singapore
James 15', 38', 51', 60'
Isa Bakar 17', 19'		 Na phatalung 24', 67'
Laohakul 86'
Srisawat 88'		 Referee: Vaz (India)
2 March 1977 Singapore  2–2  Hong Kong Singapore
Quah Kim Song 37'
Dollah Kassim 70'		 Wun Chee Keung 19', 51' Referee: Harries (New Zealand)
3 March 1977 Indonesia  0–0  Malaysia Singapore
Referee: Asami (Japan)
5 March 1977 Hong Kong  2–1  Thailand Singapore
Kwok Ka Ming 49'
Chung Chor Wai 81'		 Laohakul 55' Referee: Kim Joo-Won (Korea Republic)
6 March 1977 Singapore  1–0  Malaysia Singapore
Mohammad Noh Hussein 31' (pen) Referee: Asami (Japan)
7 March 1977 Thailand  3–2  Indonesia Singapore
Chaiyabutr 27'
Na Phatalung 30' (pen.)
Srisawat 36'		 Risdianto 44'
Junaedi Abdillah 70'		 Referee: Alex Vaz (India)
8 March 1977 Malaysia  1–1  Hong Kong Singapore
Bakri Ibni 78' Fung Chi Ming 15' Referee: Harries (New Zealand)
9 March 1977 Singapore  0–4  Indonesia Singapore
Ronny Pattinasarany 4'
Anjas Asmara 13'
Andi Lala 26'
Iswadi Idris 48'		 Referee: Kim Joo-Won (Korea Republic)

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.

12 March 1977 Singapore  0–1  Hong Kong Singapore
Lau Wing Yip 33' Referee: Boskovic (Australia)

Hong Kong advanced to the Final Round.

Group 2
Rank Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1  South Korea 6422041+3
2  Israel 5421153+2
3  Japan 1401305−5
—  North Korea Withdrew
27 February 1977 Israel  0–0  South Korea Ramat Gan, Israel
Referee: McGinlay (Scotland)
6 March 1977 Israel  2–0  Japan Ramat Gan, Israel
Machnes 43'
Bar 57'		 Referee: Kitabdjian (France)
10 March 1977 Japan  0–2  Israel Ramat Gan, Israel[2]
Machnes 41'
Peretz 54'		 Referee: Verbeke (France)
20 March 1977 South Korea  3–1  Israel Seoul, Korea Republic
Cha Bum-Kun 23'
Park Sang-In 86'
Choi Jong-Duk 88'		 Malmilian 76'
26 March 1977 Japan  0–0  South Korea Tokyo, Japan
Referee: Kathiravalc (Malaysia)
3 April 1977 South Korea  1–0  Japan Seoul, Korea Republic
Cha Bum-Kun 84' (pen.) Referee: Zainal Abidin (Malaysia)

Korea Republic advanced to the Final Round.

Group 3
Rank Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1  Iran 8440080+8
2  Saudi Arabia 2410337−4
3  Syria 2410326−4
—  Iraq Withdrew
12 November 1976 Saudi Arabia  2–0  Syria Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Al Fahad 22'
Bo Saeed 54'		 Referee: Dörflinger (Switzerland)
26 November 1976 Syria  2–1  Saudi Arabia Damascus, Syria
Al Katbi 36'
Khouri 82'		 Ghani 44' Referee: Babacan (Turkey)
7 January 1977 Saudi Arabia  0–3  Iran Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Mazloumi 16', 78'
Roshan 62'		 Stadium: Youth Welfare Stadium in Al-Malaz
Referee: Linemayr (Austria)
28 January 1977 Syria  0–1  Iran Damascus, Syria
(Report) Parvin 36' Stadium: Abbasiyyin Stadium
Attendance: 22,000
Referee: Robert Fratz (France)
6 April 1977 Iran  2 – 0
(w/o)		  Syria Shiraz, Iran
Forfeited Stadium: Tajgozari Stadium
22 April 1977 Iran  2–0  Saudi Arabia Shiraz, Iran
Yousifi 10'
Shareefi 84'		 Stadium: Tajgozari Stadium
Referee: Dörflinger (Switzerland)

Iran advanced to the Final Round.

Group 4
Rank Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1  Kuwait 84400102+8
2  Bahrain 2410346−2
3  Qatar 2410339−6
—  United Arab Emirates Withdrew
11 March 1977 Bahrain  0–2  Kuwait Doha, Qatar
Kameel 5'
Yaqoub 21'		 Referee: Partridge (England)
13 March 1977 Qatar  2–0  Bahrain Doha, Qatar
Bekhit 40'
Al Suwaidi 62'		 Referee: Hungerbühler (Switzerland)
15 March 1977 Qatar  0–2  Kuwait Doha, Qatar
Yaqoub 28'
Al-Anberi 68'		 Referee: Ohmsen (West Germany)
17 March 1977 Bahrain  1–2  Kuwait Doha, Qatar
Shaqr 73' Al-Anberi 33'
Al Duraihem 56' (pen.)		 Referee: Lattana (Italy)
19 March 1977 Qatar  0–3  Bahrain Doha, Qatar
Shaqr 32'
Zowayed 57'
Al Farhan 73' (pen.)		 Referee: Partridge (England)
21 March 1977 Qatar  1–4  Kuwait Doha, Qatar
Abubakr 82' (pen.) Yaqoub 10'
Ma'yoof 16'
Al Saleh 24'
Bo Hamad 60'		 Referee: Lattanzi (Italy)

Kuwait advanced to the Final Round.

Group 5
Rank Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1  Australia 7431093+6
2  New Zealand 54211144+10
3  Taiwan 04004117−16
13 March 1977 Australia  3–0  Taiwan Suva, Fiji[3]
Rooney 8', 46'
Abonyi 16'		 Referee: Promakash (Thailand)
16 March 1977 Taiwan  1–2  Australia Suva, Fiji[4]
Chang Kuo Chi 29' Kosmina 35'
Abonyi 58'		 Referee: Getkaew (Thailand)
20 March 1977 New Zealand  6–0  Taiwan Auckland, New Zealand
Nelson 4', 6', 60'
Campbell 16'
Taylor 42'
Weymouth 74'		 Referee: Suppiah (Singapore)
23 March 1977 Taiwan  0–6  New Zealand Auckland, New Zealand[5]
Nelson 10', 74'
Sumner 15', 51', 55'
Lo Chih Tsong 71' (o.g.)		 Referee: Dhillon (Singapore)
27 March 1977 Australia  3–1  New Zealand Sydney, Australia
Ollerton 60', 80'
Kosmina 72'		 Nelson 4' Referee: Chan Tam Sun (Hong Kong)
30 March 1977 New Zealand  1–1  Australia Auckland, New Zealand
Nelson 34' Ollerton 18' Referee: Cheung Kwok Kui (Hong Kong)

Australia advanced to the Final Round.

Final round
Rank Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1  Iran 148620123+9
2  South Korea 108341128+4
3  Kuwait 98413138+5
4  Australia 78314118+3
5  Hong Kong 08008526−21
19 June 1977 Hong Kong  0–2  Iran Hong Kong
Kazerani 22'
Jahani 77'		 Stadium: Government Stadium
Referee: Gussoni, (Italy)
26 June 1977 Hong Kong  0–1  South Korea Hong Kong
Cha Bum-Kun 81' Referee: Biwersi (West Germany)
3 July 1977 South Korea  0–0  Iran Busan, Korea Republic
Stadium: Busan Gudeok Stadium
Referee: Fute (Scotland)
10 July 1977 Australia  3–0  Hong Kong Adelaide, Australia
Kosmina 28', 84'
Barnes 46'		 Referee: Hungerbühler (Switzerland)
14 August 1977 Australia  0–1  Iran Melbourne, Australia
Roshan 70' Stadium: Olympic Park Stadium
Referee: Wöhrer (Austria)
27 August 1977 Australia  2–1  South Korea Sydney, Australia
Kosmina 63', 75' Cha Bum-Kun 23' Referee: Keizer (Netherlands)
2 October 1977 Hong Kong  1–3  Kuwait Hong Kong
Chung Chor Wai 9' Al-Dakhil 35'
Yaqoub 52'
Bo Hamad 72'		 Referee: Martinez (Spain)
9 October 1977 South Korea  1–0  Kuwait Seoul, Korea Republic
Park Sang-In 59' Referee: Ciacci (Italy)
16 October 1977 Australia  1–2  Kuwait Sydney, Australia
Rooney 83' Kameel 42'
Al-Anberi 49'		 Referee: Vautrot (France)
23 October 1977 South Korea  0–0  Australia Seoul, Korea Republic
Referee: Eriksson (Sweden)
28 October 1977 Iran  1–0  Kuwait Tehran, Iran
Jahani 48' Stadium: Aryamehr Stadium
Referee: Thomas (Wales)
30 October 1977 Hong Kong  2–5  Australia Hong Kong
Tang Hung Cheong 65'
Chung Chor Wai 80'		 Ollerton 19', 31', 65'
Abonyi 39' (pen.)
Bennett 85'		 Referee: Ponnet (Belgium)
5 November 1977 Kuwait  2–2  South Korea Kuwait City, Kuwait
Al-Dakhil 47'
Bo Abbas 76'		 Cha Bum-Kun 18'
Choi Jong-Duk 82'		 Referee: Dubach (Switzerland)
11 November 1977 Iran  2–2  South Korea Tehran, Iran
Roshan 52', 68' Lee Young-Moo 28', 88' Stadium: Aryamehr Stadium
Referee: Partridge (England)
12 November 1977 Kuwait  4–0  Hong Kong Kuwait City, Kuwait
Al-Dakhil 3', 17'
Al-Anberi 45'
Kameel 80'		 Referee: Victor (Luxembourg)
18 November 1977 Iran  3–0  Hong Kong Tehran, Iran
Jahani 3', 35'
Kazerani 19'		 Stadium: Aryamehr Stadium
Referee: Raus (Yugoslavia)
19 November 1977 Kuwait  1–0  Australia Kuwait City, Kuwait
Al-Dakhil 52' Referee: Bucek (Austria)
25 November 1977 Iran  1–0  Australia Tehran, Iran
Jahani 44' Stadium: Aryamehr Stadium
Referee: Kitabdjian (France)
3 December 1977 Kuwait  1–2  Iran Kuwait City, Kuwait
Al-Dakhil 14' Fariba 48'
Khabiri 59'		 Stadium: Al Kuwait Sports Club Stadium
Referee: Malcolm Hall Wright (Northern Ireland)
4 December 1977 South Korea  5–2  Hong Kong Seoul, Korea Republic
Kim Ho-Kon 22'
Huh Jung-Moo 43'
Kim Jae-Han 76', 81'
Park Sang-in 89'		 Kwok Ka Ming 49'
Chan Fat Chi 79'		 Referee: Heinz Aldinger (West Germany)

Iran qualified.

Goalscorers
7 goals
6 goals
5 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
1 own goal

See also

References
  1. Israel left the AFC in 1974
  2. Japan played its "home" match against Israel away at Israel.
  3. Both matches between Australia and Taiwan were played on neutral ground.
  4. Both matches between Australia and Taiwan were played on neutral ground.
  5. Taiwan played its "home" match against New Zealand away instead.
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