Iran denied guaranteed spot in last 32 as VAR disallow injury-time winner

VAR disallowed Shoja Khalilzadeh's injury-time goal, denying Iran an automatic spot in the round of 32 of the AFC Asian Cup on January 23, 2024. This decision means Iran must now await the outcomes of other group matches to determine if they will advance as one of the best third-placed teams. The match, which concluded Iran's group stage play, ended in a 1-1 draw against the United Arab Emirates. Prior to this disallowed goal, Iran had secured qualification for the knockout stage with two previous wins in Group C, defeating Palestine 4-1 and Hong Kong 1-0. The team's performance in the group stage saw them finish second in Group C with 7 points, one point behind group winners the United Arab Emirates. The final group standings and subsequent qualification scenarios for third-placed teams will be determined after all remaining group matches are completed.