The World Cup journey ended for Iran and South Korea after a tense battle for the final knockout spots among third-place teams, with both nations falling short despite showing promise in the group stage. Iran’s exit was particularly dramatic due to Austria’s last-minute equalizer against Algeria, which altered the qualification scenario in the dying moments. Earlier, Riyad Mahrez’s late goal seemed to have secured Iran’s advancement, but Sasa Kalajdzic’s stoppage-time strike ensured Austria’s progression instead, dashing Iran’s hopes.
Iran left the tournament without a single loss, drawing all three of their matches, but their failure to advance was decided by goal difference. The final third-place qualification spot was claimed by Senegal, who secured the advantage with a decisive win in their last group game, leaving Iran on the outside looking in.
South Korea also faced elimination despite a victory in their opening match. Their initial success was overshadowed as subsequent results did not favor them, crushing their aspirations of making the knockout rounds. The team’s performance led to scrutiny, with head coach Hong Myung-bo coming under fire for the unmet expectations during the campaign.
Scotland and Uruguay joined the list of teams sent home after being unable to accumulate sufficient points in the group stage. The expanded format of this World Cup heightened the competition, with teams fighting for advancement down to the finest margins, and the outcomes were decided in the final moments of play.