( CNN ) -- Lebanon stunned traditional regional powerhouses South Korea 2-1 in Beirut on Tuesday to boost their hopes of qualifying for the last stage of Asia 's 2014 World Cup qualifying . Lebanon lost 6-0 to the Koreans in in September 's away fixture in the first game under new coach Theo Bucker , but the German has overseen a big improvement since then . Central defender Ali Al Saadi put the Middle East side ahead after just five minutes , but the visitors leveled on 20 from the spot as Koo Ja-Cheol slotted home . But the Wolfsburg midfielder blotted his copybook by tripping Mahmoud el Ali , and Abbas Atwi converted the winning penalty just after half an hour . Lebanon now trail 2002 World Cup semifinalists South Korea only on goal difference , with Kuwait two points further back ahead of the final round of Group B matches after beating United Arab Emirates 2-1 . Australia booked passage to the second round of qualifying with an unconvincing 1-0 win in Thailand . Blackburn 's Brett Emerton set up Brett Holman for his second-half headed winner as the Socceroos went through as Group D winners . Saudi Arabia and Oman fought to a 0-0 draw and will battle it out with Thailand to decide the second qualifying place in the final round . Iran also progressed with a game to spare , beating Indonesia 4-1 before a goalless draw in Doha between Qatar and Bahrain confirmed their qualification . Bahrain must win against Indonesia in the concluding matches on February 29 , while the Qataris need a point against Iran to go through . Iraq ended China 's hopes of qualifying from Group A by beating leaders Jordan 3-1 to claim the second spot . China had earlier won 4-0 against Singapore with a late Zheng Zheng double . Japan had already gone through from Group C , but the Blue Samurai 's 20-match unbeaten run ended with a 1-0 defeat to bitter rivals North Korea in Pyongyang . Pak Nam Chol 's 50th-minute header secured the victory , but in a bad-tempered game the home side had Jong Il Gwan sent off in the 77th minute . `` It was a physical match in a tough environment , '' Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni told broadcaster TBS . Uzbekistan beat Tajikistan 3-0 to go three points clear at the top of the group . The top two teams from each of five groups reach the final stage , where a round-robin is played to decide on four places for the 2014 finals in Brazil . The fifth-placed team go into an intercontinental playoff . In the first round of Africa qualifying , Emmanuel Adebayor returned to international action as Togo beat Guinea-Bissau 1-0 to progress to the second stage after a first-leg draw . The Tottenham striker had retired from representing his country after the January 2010 gun attack on the Togo team bus before the African Cup of Nations . Serge Gakpe , who scored in the opening 1-1 draw , netted a second-minute winner for the Sparrowhawks . The Democratic Republic of Congo also went through after beating Swaziland 5-1 to win 8-2 on aggregate , while Congo progressed 6-1 on aggregate despite being held 1-1 by Sao Tome e Principe . Lesotho and Tanzania triumphed by virtue of the away-goals rule at the expense of Burundi and Chad respectively , despite both nations losing the second legs . Kenya , Mozambique , Namibia , Rwanda and 2012 Africa Cup of Nations co-hosts Equatorial Guinea also made it to the second stage .
Lebanon stun South Korea 2-1 to keep alive World Cup qualifying hopes . Australia book passage to Asia second round with 1-0 win in Thailand . Iran thrash Indonesia 4-1 to book their place in 10-team second stage . Iraq beat Jordan 3-1 win to eliminate China .