Australia earned a spot in the final round of Asian qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, and Iran closed in on another after both posted away wins Tuesday. Australia beat Thailand 1-0 to ensure it will finish at the top of Group D and be one of 10 countries to progress to the fourth and final round of Asian qualifying.

Iran coach Afshin Ghotbi believes his inside knowledge of South Korea will give his team an edge in their Asian Cup quarterfinal showdown. South Korea, meanwhile, is worried that part of Iran's game plan might be to disrupt the flow of the game with frequent fouls. Both teams were stepping up the mental games ahead of Saturday's match, the fifth straight time the two Asian football powers...

A second-half goal from substitute Chol Hyok gave North Korea a 1-0 victory over Bahrain on Tuesday in a warm-up match before the Asian Cup. Hyok, who replaced Choe Kum Chol at halftime, collected a cross from Pak Chol Min on the left and fired past Bahrain goalkeeper Mahmood Mansoor. The friendly was part of both teams' preparations for the Asian Cup, which starts in Doha on Friday.