Asian Qualifiers: Drama, upsets, and late twists in Round 8

The March window brought a flurry of action in the Asian Qualifiers, with several heavyweights stumbling and underdogs rising to the occasion:

• Palestine shocked Iraq with a dramatic 2–1 victory, keeping their World Cup dream very much alive.

• Iran and Uzbekistan shared the spoils in a tense 2–2 draw, a result that leaves the group finely poised.

• South Korea and Jordan played to a cagey 1–1 draw, denying either side a full breakthrough.

• Japan and Saudi Arabia delivered a tactical stalemate in Tokyo, ending 0–0.

• Australia cruised past China 2–0 to cement their dominance.

• Kyrgyzstan stunned Qatar 3–1 in one of the round's biggest surprises.

• Indonesia edged Bahrain 1–0 in a gritty, determined performance in Jakarta.

• UAE kept momentum with a hard-fought 2–1 win over North Korea.

• Oman left Kuwait heartbroken with a narrow 1–0 away victory.

With just two matchdays to go, qualification battles are heating up across the continent—and the margin for error is shrinking fast.