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MELBOURNE, Australia, November 29 - (AP) Iran's Khodadad Azizi gave his team the final World Cup qualifying spot Saturday as the visitors stunned Australia with two late goals in five minutes to progress on the away goals rule. Australia was coasting into the finals at 2-0 with 75 minutes gone before Karim Bagheri exploited a defensive mix-up to pull one back. Five minutes later Azizi ran through to beat Aston Villa's Mark Bosnich one-on-one for a 3-3 aggregate after a 1-1 tie in Tehran. "In Iran we were the better side and tonight Australia was -- we both had plenty of chances," Azizi said. Coach Valdir Vierra said, "I just sat there and prayed. I'm really sorry for the Australians and I know how Australian kids whom play football are suffering. "Australia should have been the winner here." Teenager Harry Kewell gave Australia the lead on 32 minutes and Aurelio Vidmar made it 2-0 in the 48th. Former England manager Terry Venables, who joined the Socceroos for a chance to lead a team at the World Cup, extended his record to 12 wins and two tie in 14 games in charge but watched his dream evaporate. It was a cruel moment for the man -- to match England's penalty shootout loss in last year's European Championship semifinal against Germany. Kewell's goal gave Australia a deserved lead after the home side pounded Iran from the start in the 631st and final match to decide the 32 teams for France '98. Vidmar, who missed two clear chances in the opening two minutes, beat Naeim Sadavisad on the left and speared a pass across the Iran penalty area. Mark Viduka failed to get a touch as he dived in with a header but Kewell put away a right foot shot from close range at the far post. Earlier Vidmar failed to beat Iran goalkeeper Ahmadreza Abedzadeh after going clean through in the first minute and soon after had a shot tipped wide. Glasgow Rangers' Craig Moore had a shot cleared off the line by Sadavisad in the fourth minute and Mehdi Pasharzadeh put a reflex header over for a corner after a shot from Kewell had beaten the keeper on nine minutes. Australia made one change from the match in Tehran and the introduction of West Ham united's Stan Lazaridis for Tony Vidmar lifted it after a lethargic first leg. Lazaridis' pace down the left flank exhausted defenders Sadavisad and Mohammad Khakpour and he started the move, which led to Vidmar's goal. Iran was on the verge of direct qualification during the Asian play-offs but failed to win in its final three games. Its entire coaching staff was sacked and Brazilian Vierra was brought in for a playoff against Japan. Iran lost that 3-2 to be forced into the match against Oceania zone champion Australia. An Australian record crowd of almost 100,000 watched the match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Australia's 1974 team, which failed to clear the first round in the country's only finals appearance, made a lap of the ground before the start. Australia Iran Referee |