2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC fourth round

The fourth round of AFC matches for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification was played from 5 to 10 October 2017.^[1] The winners advanced to the inter-confederation play-offs against the fourth-placed team from the CONCACAF fifth round.^[2]

Format

In the fourth round, the third-placed teams from the two third round groups competed in a two-legged home-and-away play-off.^[3]

The order of legs was pre-determined by the AFC, announced during the draw for the third round. The third-placed team from Group A hosted the first leg, and the third-placed team from Group B hosted the second leg.^[4]

Qualified teams

Group (third round)	Third place
A	Syria
B	Australia

Matches

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Syria	2–3	Australia	1–1	1–2 (a.e.t.)

Syria	1–1	Australia
Al Somah 85' (pen.)	Report (FIFA) Report (AFC)	Kruse 40'

5 October 2017 (2017-10-05)

20:30 UTC+8

Hang Jebat Stadium, Krubong (Malaysia)^{[note 1]}

Attendance: 2,150

Referee: Alireza Faghani (Iran)

Australia	2–1 (a.e.t.)	Syria
Cahill 13', 109'	Report (FIFA) Report (AFC)	Al Somah 6'

10 October 2017 (2017-10-10)

20:00 UTC+11

Stadium Australia, Sydney

Attendance: 42,136

Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)^{[note 2]}

Australia won 3–2 on aggregate and advanced to the inter-confederation play-offs.

Goalscorers

There were 5 goals scored in 2 matches, for an average of 2.5 goals per match.

2 goals

• Tim Cahill
• Omar Al Somah

1 goal

• Robbie Kruse

Notes

1. Syria played their home match in Malaysia due to security concerns from the Syrian Civil War.
2. Irmatov was replaced by fourth official Ilgiz Tantashev (Uzbekistan) during extra time.