But Australia continued to demonstrate its ability to shake up Asian soccer. Australia only joined Asia in 2006. Before that it was in the Oceania zone, where it played mainly small Pacific island states.
In the playoff for third place, South Korea defeated Uzbekistan 3-2.
Iran was eliminated in the quarterfinals the previous week and ranked in the fifth to eighth place slots along with Iraq, Jordan and host Qatar.
The impact on Iran’s international standing will be known in about two weeks when FIFA, the governing body of international soccer, issues its monthly computer rankings.
Japan is clearly dominant in Asia now, having won four of the six Asian Cup competitions played since 1990. Iran won all its Cups before the revolution—in 1968, 1972 and 1974.
