Iran qualifies for the 2026 World Cup after Taremi scores twice in 2-2 draw with Uzbekistan

Iran qualified for the 2026 World Cup after Mehdi Taremi scored twice in a 2-2 draw with Uzbekistan on Tuesday.

The Inter Milan striker scored his second goal in the 83rd minute in Tehran, giving Iran the point it needed to qualify to a fourth straight appearance at the World Cup and a seventh overall.

The 48-team tournament will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Relations are tense between Iran and the United States. President Donald Trump has linked the actions of Yemen’s Houthi rebels to Iran, warning Tehran it would “ suffer the consequences ” for further attacks by the group. It's unclear how the strained relations will impact the Iranian team's preparations.

Uzbekistan, three points behind Iran in Group A, would have qualified for the first time with a victory and twice took the lead at the Azadi Stadium.

Khojimat Erkinov struck after 16 minutes but Taremi put Iran back on level terms seven minutes into the second half by firing an unstoppable volley into the roof of the net from the edge of the area.

Immediately, Abbosbek Fayzullaev restored Uzbekistan’s lead but, Taremi responded, this time from close range, to send Iran to the World Cup where it will attempt to progress past the group stages for the first time.

The top two from each of the three groups of six in Asia are guaranteed a place, while the teams that finish third and fourth will advance to a further stage to compete for two more places.

Third-placed United Arab Emirates defeated bottom team North Korea 2-1 to move four points behind Uzbekistan while Asian champion Qatar is out of the running for automatic qualification after a 3-1 loss in Kyrgyzstan.

Earlier, Australia took a big step toward securing a spot at tournament with a 2-0 win over China in Hangzhou that also ended the hosts’ hopes of automatic qualification.

First-half goals from Jackson Irvine and Nishan Velupillay were enough for the Socceroos. Australia is second, three points clear of third-place Saudi Arabia, which drew 0-0 at already-qualified Japan.

China has yet to return to the World Cup since its 2002 debut and remains bottom of the group, level on six points with Bahrain who lost 1-0 in Indonesia.

Saudi Arabia is still in the hunt for a seventh appearance after a battling goalless draw in Japan. The hosts dominated at Saitama Stadium but were unable to get the breakthrough.

In Group B, South Korea stayed top but dropped two points for the second time inside a week, drawing 1-1 at home to Jordan.

South Korea needed just six minutes to take the lead through Lee Jae-sung.

A win would have put the Koreans on the brink of an 11th straight appearance but Jordan was level on the half-hour thanks to Mahmoud Al-Mardi.

South Korea has 16 points, three more than Jordan. Iraq is in third with 12 after a surprise 2-1 loss against the Palestinian team. Oman beat Kuwait 1-0 to move onto 10 points.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Iran's Saleh Hardani, right, controls the ball against Uzbekistan's Farrukh Sayfiev, during a World Cup 2026 group A qualifying soccer match between Iran and Uzbekistan at Azadi Stadium in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Iran's Saeid Ezatolahi, center, and Uzbekistan's Rustamjon Ashurmatov, left, challenge for the ball during their Asian qualifier group A match for 2026 World Cup in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Jordan's Mousa Altamari, left, and South Korea's Lee Tae-seok, right, fight for the ball during the third round of the Asian qualifier group B match between South Korea and Jordan for 2026 World Cup at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, South Korea, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

South Korea's Lee Jae-sung celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the third round of the Asian qualifier group B match between South Korea and Jordan for 2026 World Cup at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, South Korea, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Jordan's Nizar Al Rashdan, left, and South Korea's Hwang In-beom, right, fight for the ball during the third round of the Asian qualifier group B match between South Korea and Jordan for 2026 World Cup at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, South Korea, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Japan's Kyogo Furuhashi, left, and Saudi Arabia's Ali Majrashi battle for control the ball during the World Cup 2026 group C qualifying soccer match between Japan and Saudi Arabia at Saitama Stadium 2002 in Saitama, north of Tokyo, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Japan team members celebrates after the World Cup 2026 group C qualifying soccer match between Japan and Saudi Arabia at Saitama Stadium 2002 in Saitama, north of Tokyo, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Japan's Ao Tanaka, center, and Saudi Arabia's Ziyad Aljohani battle for control the ball during the World Cup 2026 group C qualifying soccer match between Japan and Saudi Arabia at Saitama Stadium 2002 in Saitama, north of Tokyo, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Australia's Mitchell Duke heads the ball away during a World Cup 2026 group C qualifier match against China held at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium in Hangzhou, in eastern China's Zhejiang province, on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo)

Australia's Jackson Irvine keeps control of the ball from China's Sai Erjiniao (6) and China's Baihelamu Abuduwaili (23) during a World Cup 2026 group C qualifier match held at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium in Hangzhou, in eastern China's Zhejiang province, on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo)

Australia's head coach Tony Popovic, left reacts with Australia's Jackson Irvine after winning a World Cup 2026 group C qualifier match against China held at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium in Hangzhou, in eastern China's Zhejiang province, on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Lamar Jackson thought it was over. That the Baltimore Ravens' unwieldy season would end up in a familiar spot: the playoffs.

Then, rookie kicker Tyler Loop's potential game-winning field goal from 44 yards out drifted a little right. And then a little further right. And then a little further right still.

By the time it fluttered well wide of the goalposts, the playoffs were gone. So was Jackson's certainty after a 26-24 loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday night sent the Ravens into what could be a turbulent offseason.

“I'm definitely stunned, man,” Jackson said. “I thought we had it in the bag. ... I don't know what else we can do.”

Jackson, who never really seemed fully healthy during his eighth season as he battled one thing after another, did his part. The two-time NFL MVP passed for 238 yards and three touchdowns, including two long connections with Zay Flowers in the fourth quarter that put the Ravens (8-9) in front.

It just wasn't enough. Baltimore's defense, which played most of the second half without star safety Kyle Hamilton after Hamilton entered the concussion protocol, wilted against 42-year-old Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers passed for a season-high 294 yards, including a 26-yard flip to a wide-open Calvin Austin with 55 seconds to go after a defender slipped, symbolic of a season in which Baltimore's defense only occasionally found its form.

Still, the Ravens had a chance when Jackson found Isaiah Likely for a 28-yard gain on fourth down from midfield. A couple of snaps later, the 24-year-old Loop walked on to try to lift Baltimore to its third straight division title.

Instead, the rookie said he “mishit” it. Whatever it was, it never threatened to sneak between the goalposts.

“It’s disappointing,” Loop said.

Loop was talking about the game. He might as well have been talking about his team's season.

The Ravens began 1-5 as Jackson dealt with injuries and the defense struggled to get stops. Baltimore found a way to briefly tie the Steelers for first in late November, only to then split its next four games, including a home loss to Pittsburgh.

Still, when Jackson and the Ravens walked onto the Acrisure Stadium turf on Sunday night in the 272nd and final game of the NFL regular season, Baltimore was confident. The Ravens drilled Pittsburgh in the opening round of the playoffs a year ago behind the ever-churning legs of running back Derrick Henry.

When Henry ripped off a gain of 40-plus yards on the game's first offensive snap, it looked like it was going to be more of the same. While Henry did rush for 126 yards and joined Hall of Famer Barry Sanders as the only running backs in NFL history to have five 1,500-yard seasons, he was less effective in the second half.

Even that first run was telling of what night it was going to be, as an illegal block by wide receiver Zay Flowers cost Baltimore some field position. The Ravens ended up scoring on the drive anyway, thanks to a 38-yard fourth-down flip from Jackson to a wide-open Devontez Walker, but it started a pattern that was hard to shake as several steps forward were met with one step back on a night the Ravens finished with nine penalties for 78 yards.

“We were having a lot of penalties, which kept stopping drives," Jackson said. “But I'm proud of my guys because we kept overcoming. We kept overcoming adversity and situations like this. Divisional games (can) be like that sometimes.”

Particularly when the Steelers are on the other side of the line of scrimmage. Pittsburgh has won 10 of the last 13 meetings. And while a handful of them have been in late-season matchups with the Ravens already assured of reaching the playoffs, the reality is the Steelers have been able to regularly do something that most others have not: found a way to beat Jackson.

“It comes down to situations like this,” Jackson said. “Two-point conversion one year. Field goal another year. And again this year. Just got to find a way to get that win here.”

And figure out who is going to be around to help get it.

Head coach John Harbaugh's 18th season in Baltimore ended with the Ravens missing the playoffs for just the second time in eight years. Jackson turns 29 this week and is still one of the most electric players in the league.

Yet Harbaugh and Jackson have yet to find a way to have that breakthrough season that Harbaugh enjoyed with Joe Flacco in 2013 when the Ravens won the Super Bowl.

There was hope when the season began that the roadblocks that have long been in the franchise's way — Kansas City and Patrick Mahomes chief among them — would be gone.

While the Ravens did get their way in a sense — the Chiefs will watch the playoffs from afar for the first time in a decade after a nightmarish season of their own — it never all came together.

Jackson declined to endorse Harbaugh returning for a 19th season, saying the loss was still too fresh to zoom out on what it might mean for the franchise going forward.

Harbaugh, for his part, certainly seems up for running it back in the fall.

“I love these guys,” he said afterward. “I love these guys.”

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, right, hands the ball off to running back Derrick Henry (22) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh talks with an offical during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, left, greets Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) after an NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Jabrill Peppers (40) reacts after Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop (33) missed a field goal attempt in the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)