TEHRAN, Oct 12: Iran defeated bitter rivals Iraq 2-1 here on Friday to take another huge step towards qualifying for next summer’s World Cup finals.

The win put Iran back on top of Asian Group A with 15 points, one point ahead of second placed Saudi Arabia who have also played seven games.

The result now means the sole qualifying spot will be decided on the final day of the competition next Friday when Iran travel to Bahrain while the Saudis are at home to Thailand.

Only the group winners are guaranteed a place in Japan and Korea while the runners-up must face a play-off with the side finishing second in Group B.

It took Iran 27 minutes to take the lead on Friday when Mehdi Mahdavikia, who plays for Bundesliga side Hamburg, scored after some good build up by Karim Bagheri and Ali Karimi.

As the 100,000 crowd inside the Azadi Stadium looked for more goals, Iraq, playing in the Iranian capital for the first time in 25 years, refused to buckle under the pressure and early in the second half they equalised.

Qahtan Drain was on hand to score after the home side failed to clear and briefly the visitors dreamed of improving on their miserable record of only having won three of 14 meetings with their neighbours.

But Iran, bidding to reach the finals for the third time, poured forward looking for the vital strike.

Reza Rezaei, Karimi and Daei all went close before they eventually grabbed the winner.

It came 19 minutes from the end when Mahdavikia broke down the right. He cut inside and as Iraq keeper Saeed Jameel tried to close him down, Mahdavikia slotted the ball to Karimi who scored from close range.—AFP