1998 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC first round

The AFC first round of 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification was contested between 36 AFC members.

The top country in each group at the end of the stage progressed to the final round, where the ten remaining teams will be divided into two groups of five.

Group 1

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Saudi Arabia 6 5 1 0 18 1 +17 16 Final round
2  Malaysia 6 3 2 1 5 3 +2 11
3  Chinese Taipei 6 1 1 4 4 13 −9 4
4  Bangladesh 6 1 0 5 4 14 −10 3
Source: RSSSF
Chinese Taipei 0–2 Saudi Arabia
(Report) O. Al-Dosari 34'
Al-Shahrani 37'
Attendance: 15,000
Malaysia 2–0 Bangladesh
Azman 43'
Abdul Karim 87'		 (Report)
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Wei Jihong (China)
Malaysia 0–0 Saudi Arabia
(Report)
Attendance: 20,000
Chinese Taipei 0–0 Malaysia
(Report)
Attendance: 20,000
Saudi Arabia 3–0 Bangladesh
Al-Shahrani (21)
O. Al-Dosari (23)
Abdullah Al-Dosari (50)		 (Report)
Attendance: 20,000
Saudi Arabia 3–0 Malaysia
Al-Muwallid 59', 85'
O. Al-Dosari 87'		 (Report)
Attendance: 15,000
Chinese Taipei 1–2 Bangladesh
Hsu Te Ming (Report) Alfaz Ahmed
Nakib
Attendance: 2,000
Bangladesh 0–1 Malaysia
(Report) Zainal 87'
Attendance: 6,000
Saudi Arabia 6–0 Chinese Taipei
Al-Jaber 3', 16', 63'
Al-Muwallid 5'
Abdulaziz Al-Dosari 30'
Al-Zahrani 46'		 (Report)
Attendance: 9,000

Group 2

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Iran 6 5 1 0 39 3 +36 16 Final round
2  Syria 6 3 1 2 30 5 +25 10
3  Kyrgyzstan 6 3 0 3 12 14 −2 9
4  Maldives 6 0 0 6 0 59 −59 0
Source: RSSSF
Maldives 0–17 Iran
(Report) Bagheri 9', 13', 16', 60', 66', 67', 86'
Estili 29', 47', 55'
Azizi 35', 36'
Shahroudi 56'
Mahdavikia 63'
Daei 75', 77'
Minavand 87'
Attendance: 7,000

Note: This match broke the score difference record in FIFA A-level matches, while the previous record was created by Denmark in the 1908 Summer Olympics against France by 17–1.

Syria 12–0 Maldives
Al-Said 7', 13'
Jokhadar 9', 37', 89'
Rifai 10'
Jabban 12', 78'
Srour 21'
Zaher 49'
Boshi 70', 79'		 (Report)
Attendance: 15,000
Kyrgyzstan 0–7 Iran
(Report) Bagheri 35', 51'
Daei 57'
Majidi 68', 88'
Minavand 76'
Mousavi 82'
Attendance: 8,000
Syria 0–1 Iran
(Report) Daei 65'
Attendance: 33,000
Kyrgyzstan 3–0 Maldives
Korzanov 4'
Merzlikin 24'
Yusupov 28'		 (Report)
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Wang Xuezhi (China)
Iran 3–1 Kyrgyzstan
Azizi 3', 77'
Bagheri 52'		 (Report) Kutsov 16'
Attendance: 50,000
Maldives 0–12 Syria
(Report) Agha 24', 50'
Dib 55'
Taleb 60'
Al-Said 62', 63', 87'
Rihawi 66'
Abrash 80', 90'
Zaher 85', 89'
Attendance: 25,000
Iran 9–0 Maldives
Mansourian 15', 44'
Bagheri 22', 39'
Daei 33', 43'
Mahdavikia 38'
Shahroudi 68'
Azizi 87'		 (Report)
Attendance: 30,000
Kyrgyzstan 2–1 Syria
Sardarov 76'
Kutsov 89'		 (Report) Boshi 84'
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Yu Jingyin (China)
Iran 2–2 Syria
Shahroudi 10'
Mansourian 30'		 (Report) Boshi 11'
Al-Said 39'
Attendance: 100,000
Maldives 0–6 Kyrgyzstan
(Report) Merzlikin 14'
Chertkov 22'
Kutsov 26'
Haitbaev 47', 89'
Ivanov 47'
Attendance: 70,000

Group 3

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  United Arab Emirates 4 3 1 0 7 1 +6 10 Final round
2  Jordan 4 1 1 2 4 4 0 4
3  Bahrain 4 1 0 3 3 9 −6 3
Source: RSSSF
Bahrain 1–2 United Arab Emirates
Darwish 84' (Report) Abdulla 18', 57'
Attendance: 18,000
Referee: Lu Jun (China)
Bahrain 1–0 Jordan
Al-Doseri 27' (Report)
Attendance: 4,000
Jordan 4–1 Bahrain
Tadrus 14', 89'
Al-Sheikh 33'
Al-Khateeb 88'		 (Report) Rashed 43'
Attendance: 4,000
United Arab Emirates 3–0 Bahrain
Saeed 14'
Mubarak 50', 60'		 (Report)
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Kiyoshi Ota (Japan)
United Arab Emirates 2–0 Jordan
Al Talyani 27'
Mubarak 88'		 (Report)
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Hossein Asgari (Iran)

Group 4

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Japan 6 5 1 0 31 1 +30 16 Final round
2  Oman 6 4 1 1 14 2 +12 13
3  Macau 6 1 1 4 3 28 −25 4
4    Nepal 6 0 1 5 2 19 −17 1
Source: RSSSF
Nepal   1–1 Macau
Khadka 23' (Report) Cheng 13'
Attendance: 500
Oman 0–1 Japan
(Report) Omura 10'
Attendance: 2,000
Macau 0–10 Japan
(Report) Akita 1'
Takagi 14', 33', 72'
Soma 45'
Miura 54', 89'
Moroshima 80', 82'
Nanami 86'
Attendance: 600
Referee: Wang Xuezhi (China)
Oman 1–0   Nepal
Al Busaidy 75' (Report)
Attendance: 1,000
Nepal   0–6 Japan
(Report) Morishima 24'
Takagi 47', 55', 89'
Omura 76'
Honda 90'
Attendance: 500
Oman 4–0 Macau
Samir 32'
Al Siyabi 42', 56'
Abdul Noor 83'		 (Report)
Attendance: 0
Japan 10–0 Macau
Nakata 17', 61'
Nishizawa 21'
Miura 23', 29', 44', 57', 62', 79'
Nanami 42'		 (Report)
Attendance: 27,342
Nepal   0–6 Oman
(Report) Shakya 1' (o.g.)
Al Busaidy 13'
Ahmed Hassan 17', 50'
Al Araimi 73'
Al Masori 78'
Attendance: 15,875
Referee: Sun Baojie (China)
Japan 3–0   Nepal
Nishizawa 44'
Miura 72', 87'		 (Report)
Attendance: 28,360
Macau 0–2 Oman
(Report) Al Araimi 44'
Ahmed Hassan 89'
Attendance: 8,737
Japan 1–1 Oman
Nakata 4' (Report) Samir 63'
Attendance: 48,839
Macau 2–1   Nepal
Che 78'
Da Cruz Martins 89'		 (Report) Deepak Amatya 19'
Attendance: 22,972

Group 5

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Uzbekistan 6 5 1 0 20 3 +17 16 Final round
2  Yemen 6 2 2 2 10 7 +3 8
3  Indonesia 6 1 4 1 11 6 +5 7
4  Cambodia 6 0 1 5 2 27 −25 1
Source: RSSSF
Indonesia 8–0 Cambodia
Putro 1'
Lubis 6', 52'
Putiray 12', 44', 70'
Wabia 31', 36'		 (Report)
Attendance: 25,000
Indonesia 0–0 Yemen
(Report)
Attendance: 25,000
Cambodia 0–1 Yemen
(Report) Dariban 39'
Attendance: 20,000
Cambodia 1–1 Indonesia
Sochetra 65' (Report) Putro 80'
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Li Haiseng (China)
Yemen 0–1 Uzbekistan
(Report) Khasanov 27'
Attendance: 28,000
Yemen 7–0 Cambodia
Al Ariki 4', 13', 15', 83'
Noman 50'
Bashafal 55'
Abdulla 65'		 (Report)
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Khaled Dalu (Syria)
Indonesia 1–1 Uzbekistan
Sudirman 34' (Report) Shatskikh 74'
Attendance: 30,000
Uzbekistan 3–0 Indonesia
Shatskikh 12'
Maksudov 37', 87'		 (Report)
Attendance: 55,000
Referee: Jalal Moradi (Iran)
Cambodia 1–4 Uzbekistan
Sochetra 12' (Report) Abdukahhor Marifaliev 2', 60'
Ravshan Bozorov 9', 30'
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Abdul Shakoor Baloch (Pakistan)
Uzbekistan 5–1 Yemen
Shkvirin 8', 63'
Shatskikh 55', 75'
Bazarov 62'		 (Report) Zughair 30'
Attendance: 20,000

Group 6

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  South Korea 4 3 1 0 9 1 +8 10 Final round
2  Thailand 4 1 1 2 5 6 −1 4
3  Hong Kong 4 1 0 3 3 10 −7 3
Source: RSSSF
Thailand 1–3 South Korea
Piyapong 48' (Report) Roh Sang-rae 18'
Ha Seok-ju 74'
Choi Moon-sik 86'
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Lu Jun (China)
Hong Kong 3–2 Thailand
Lee Kin Wo 23'
Cheng Siu Chung 48'
Au Wai Lun 88'		 (Report) Natipong 43'
Chalermsan 70'
Attendance: 20,000
South Korea 0–0 Thailand
(Report)
Attendance: 20,000

Group 7

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Kuwait 4 4 0 0 10 1 +9 12 Final round
2  Lebanon 4 1 1 2 4 7 −3 4
3  Singapore 4 0 1 3 2 8 −6 1
Source: RSSSF
Lebanon 1–1 Singapore
Nazha 49' (Report) Zainal 88'
Attendance: 12,000
Singapore 0–1 Kuwait
(Report) Al Saqer 29'
Attendance: 13,000
Kuwait 2–0 Lebanon
Al Huwaidi 38'
Al Ahmad 79'		 (Report)
Attendance: 12,000
Singapore 1–2 Lebanon
Chuan Tan Teng 58' (pen.) (Report) Shehab 35'
Melikian 80'
Attendance: 14,455
Kuwait 4–0 Singapore
Wabran 28'
Al Ahmad 35'
Al Huwaidi 43'
Abdullah 78'		 (Report)
Attendance: 13,000
Lebanon 1–3 Kuwait
Shehab 29' (Report) Otaibi 7'
Al Saleh 32', 74'
Attendance: 2,500

Group 8

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  China 6 5 1 0 13 2 +11 16 Final round
2  Tajikistan 6 4 1 1 15 2 +13 13
3  Turkmenistan 6 2 0 4 8 13 −5 6
4  Vietnam 6 0 0 6 2 21 −19 0
Source: RSSSF
Tajikistan 4–0 Vietnam
Alidodov 8'
Mouminov 15'
Dzhaborov 50', 84'		 (Report)
Attendance: 18,000
Tajikistan 0–1 China
(Report) Hao Haidong 65'
Attendance: 19,000
Referee: Masoud Kaabi (Iran)
Turkmenistan 1–2 Tajikistan
Tkavadze 18' (Report) Knizaev 41', 49'
Attendance: 3,000
China 1–0 Turkmenistan
Li Jinyu 81' (Report)
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Yoshimi Ogawa (Japan)
China 0–0 Tajikistan
(Report)
Attendance: 21,000
Vietnam 0–4 Turkmenistan
(Report) Agaev 16', 57', 63'
Broshin 20'
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Kyaw U Kyaw (Myanmar)
China 4–0 Vietnam
Fan Zhiyi 7'
Hao Haidong 45'
Ma Mingyu 65'
Su Maozhen 70'		 (Report)
Attendance: 15,000
Tajikistan 5–0 Turkmenistan
Avakov 4', 26', 34'
Dzhaborov 14'
Mouminov 88'		 (Report)
Attendance: 7,000

Group 9

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Kazakhstan 4 4 0 0 15 2 +13 12 Final round
2  Iraq 4 2 0 2 14 8 +6 6
3  Pakistan 4 0 0 4 3 22 −19 0
Source: RSSSF
Kazakhstan 3–0 Pakistan
Esmagambetov 2', 62'
Yablochkin 49'		 (Report)
Attendance: 12,000
Pakistan 2–6 Iraq
Umer 8'
Rafiq 53'		 (Report) Fawzi 1', 62'
Chathir 35', 61'
Hussein 52'
Radhi 70'
Attendance: 12,000
Iraq 1–2 Kazakhstan
Saadoun 2' (Report) Klishin 41'
Loginov 48'
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Wei Jihong (China)
Pakistan 0–7 Kazakhstan
(Report) Esmagambetov 28'
Klishin 32'
Loginov 36'
Mazbaev 53'
Zubarev 64', 68', 72'
Attendance: 3,500
Iraq 6–1 Pakistan
Hussein 11', 26'
Fawzi 69', 76'
Abbas 71', 89'		 (Report) Umer 58'
Referee: Ammar Ammar (Lebanon)
Kazakhstan 3–1 Iraq
Mazbaev 4'
Loginov 36'
Saadoun 56' (o.g.)		 (Report) Abdullah 1'
Attendance: 12,000

Group 10

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Qatar 3 3 0 0 14 0 +14 9 Final round
2  Sri Lanka 3 1 1 1 4 4 0 4
3  India 3 1 1 1 3 7 −4 4
4  Philippines 3 0 0 3 0 10 −10 0
Source: RSSSF
Qatar 3–0 Sri Lanka
Soufi 35'
Al-Enazi 51'
Fazli 81'		 (Report)
Attendance: 1,000
Qatar 5–0 Philippines
Al-Enazi 19', 41'
Soufi 29'
Al Noobi 30'
Jaloof 38'		 (Report)
Attendance: 800
Referee: Muhammad Sahib (Iraq)
Sri Lanka 1–1 India
Silva 14' (Report) Chapman 39'
Attendance: 400
Referee: Ammar Ammar (Lebanon)
Philippines 0–3 Sri Lanka
(Report) Steinwall 28'
Perera 55', 80'
Attendance: 200
Qatar 6–0 India
Al-Enazi 27', 40'
Al Kuwari 42'
Maayof 47'
Soufi 52'
Fazli 61'		 (Report)
Attendance: 3,000

Notes

  1. ^ FIFA awarded Syria a 3–0 win as a result of Kyrgyzstan was late on the pitch.