The third round of AFC matches for

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was played from 1 September 2016 to 5 September 2017.

Format

A total of twelve teams which advanced from the

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(the eight group winners and the four best group runners-up) were divided into two groups of six teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. The top two teams of each group qualified for the

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, and the two third-placed teams advanced to the

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Qualified teams

Seeding

The draw for the third round was held on 12 April 2016, at 16:30 MST (

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), at the

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Kuala Lumpur , anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , sub ...

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. The seeding were based on the

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of April 2016 (shown in parentheses below). The twelve teams were seeded into six pots: *Pot 1 contained the teams ranked 1–2. *Pot 2 contained the teams ranked 3–4. *Pot 3 contained the teams ranked 5–6. *Pot 4 contained the teams ranked 7–8. *Pot 5 contained the teams ranked 9–10. *Pot 6 contained the teams ranked 11–12. Each group contained one team from each of the six pots. The fixtures of each group were automatically decided based on the respective pot of each team. Note: Bolded teams qualified for the

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. ''Italicised'' teams qualified for the

Groups

Group A

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Group B

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Goalscorers

There were 129 goals scored in 60 matches, for an average of goals per match. ;5 goals *

Tomi Juric Tomi Juric ( ; hr, Jurić, ; born 22 July 1991) is an Australian professional footballer who plays as a striker for A-League club Melbourne Victory and the Australia national soccer team. Club career Adelaide United On 10 February 2013, after ...

Mohannad Abdul-Raheem Mohannad Abdul-Raheem Karrar ( ar, مهند عبد الرحيم كرار; born 22 September 1993), is an Iraqi footballer who plays for Naft Al-Wasat and the Iraq national team. An Olympian, Mohannad is the 2012 Asian Young Footballer of the ...

* Nawaf Al-Abed *

Ahmed Khalil Ahmed Khalil Sebait Mubarak Al-Junaibi ( ar, أحمد خليل سبيت مبارك الجنيبي; born 8 June 1991) is an UAE, Emirati Association football, footballer who plays as a Forward (association football), forward for Al Bataeh Club, ...

;4 goals *

Sardar Azmoun Sardar Azmoun ( fa, سردار آزمون (Sardâr Âzmôn); born 1 January 1995) is an Iranian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen and the Iran national team. Azmoun made his debut for the Iran n ...

* Genki Haraguchi * Hassan Al-Haydos *

Ali Mabkhout Ali Ahmed Mabkhout Mohsen Al Hajeri ( ar, علي أحمد مبخوت محسن الهاجري; born 5 October 1990) is an Emirati professional association football player who plays for UAE Pro League club Al Jazira and the United Arab Emirates n ...

;3 goals *

Mile Jedinak Michael John "Mile" Jedinak (; ; born 3 August 1984) is an Australian former professional footballer who served as the captain of the Australia national team. He is currently the Loan Player Development Coach at Aston Villa. Jedinak was born a ...

Mathew Leckie Mathew Allan Leckie (born 4 February 1991) is an Australian footballer who plays for Melbourne City FC in the A-League and the Australian national team (for whom he has previously been the captain). Leckie, being a quick and agile player, is us ...

Mehdi Taremi Mehdi Taremi ( fa, مهدی طارمی; born 18 July 1992) is an Iranian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Primeira Liga club Porto and the Iran national team. A late bloomer, he begun his career at Shahin Bushehr and Iranja ...

* Mahmoud Al-Mawas * Omar Kharbin ;2 goals *

Gao Lin Gao Lin (; born 14 February 1986) is a Chinese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Chinese Super League club Shenzhen. He is the all-time top goalscorer for Guangzhou Evergrande – his previous club – with 113 goals, and ...

Saad Abdul-Amir Saad Abdul-Amir Luaibi Al-Zirjawi ( ar, سعد عبدالامير لعيبي الزيرجاوي; born 19 January 1992) is an Iraqi defensive midfielder who plays for Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and for the Iraq national football team which he earned his ...

Takuma Asano is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a winger or a forward for Bundesliga club VfL Bochum and the Japan national team. His younger brother Yuya is also a professional footballer currently playing for J1 League side Sanfrecce ...

* Yuya Kubo *

Akram Afif Akram Hassan Afif Yahya Afif Al Yafei ( ar, أكرم عفيف; born 18 November 1996) is a Qatari professional footballer who plays as a left winger for Qatar Stars League club Al Sadd and the Qatar national team. Early in his career, he was c ...

Fahad Al-Muwallad Fahad Mosaed al-Muwallad ( ar, فهد المولد, born 14 September 1994) is a Saudi Arabian professional footballer who currently plays as a winger for Al-Shabab. He started his professional career with Al-Ittihad when he was only 16 ye ...

Mohammad Al-Sahlawi Mohammad Ibrahim Mohammad Al-Sahlawi ( ar, محمد ابراهيم محمد السهلاوي; born 10 January 1987) is a Saudi Arabian professional footballer who plays as a striker. Al-Sahlawi won the best player of the league twice in a row in ...

Yahya Al-Shehri Yahya Sulaiman Ali al-Shehri ( ar, يحيى سليمان علي الشهري; born 26 June 1990) is a Saudi Arabian professional footballer who plays as a left winger for Al-Raed and the Saudi Arabia national team. He was promoted from the youth ...

Ki Sung-yueng Ki Sung-yueng ( Hangul: ; Hanja: ; ; born 24 January 1989) is a South Korean professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder or a defensive midfielder for the K League 1 club FC Seoul. From 2008 to 2019, Ki was a full internatio ...

Koo Ja-cheol Koo Ja-cheol (; or ; born 27 February 1989) is a South Korean footballer who plays for Jeju United as a midfielder. Koo is one of the three most successful South Korean players with careers in the German Bundesliga, alongside Cha Bum-kun an ...

* Teerasil Dangda * Marat Bikmaev ;1 goal *

Tim Cahill Timothy Filiga Cahill (; born 6 December 1979) is an Australian former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder but also played as a striker on many occasions. A box-to-box midfielder, Cahill became recognised for "his ...

Jackson Irvine Jackson Alexander Irvine (born 7 March 1993) is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for 2. Bundesliga club FC St. Pauli. He has previously played for Celtic, Kilmarnock, Ross County, Burton Albion, Hull City a ...

* Massimo Luongo * Tom Rogic *

Trent Sainsbury Trent Lucas Sainsbury (born 5 January 1992) is an Australian professional football player who plays as a centre back for Qatari club Al-Wakrah and the Australian national team. Sainsbury was born in Thornlie, Perth and played youth football w ...

Hao Junmin Hao Junmin (; born 24 March 1987) is a Chinese professional footballer who plays for Chinese Super League club Guangzhou F.C. and the China national team. Club career Hao Junmin started his football career with Tianjin Teda when he made ...

Wu Lei Wu Lei (; born 19 November 1991) is a Chinese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Chinese Super League club Shanghai Port and the China national team. Wu is the all-time top goalscorer for Shanghai SIPG with 169 goals. He i ...

* Wu Xi * Xiao Zhi *

Yu Dabao Yu Dabao (; born 18 April 1988) is a Chinese professional footballer who currently plays for Chinese Super League club Beijing Guoan. Club career Yu Dabao started his football career playing for second-tier side Qingdao Hailifeng and was soon ...

Yu Hai Yu Hai (; ; born 4 June 1987) is a Chinese footballer who currently plays for Shanghai SIPG in the Chinese Super League. Club career Yu Hai started his football career with Shaanxi Chanba in the 2004 season and he made his debut for the club ...

Reza Ghoochannejhad Reza Ghoochannejhad Nournia ( fa, رضا قوچان‌نژاد نورنیا; born 20 September 1987) is a former professional footballer who played as a forward. He is also known as Gucci in Belgium and Netherlands. Having played for the Nether ...

Jalal Hosseini Seyyed Jalal Hosseini ( fa, سید جلال حسینی; born 3 February 1982), commonly known as Seyyed Jalal or Jalal Hosseini, is a former Iranian professional footballer who played as a centre-back and was the Captain of Iranian club Persep ...

Alireza Jahanbakhsh Alireza Jahanbakhsh Jirandeh ( fa, علیرضا جهانبخش جیرنده, ; born 11 August 1993) is an Iranian professional footballer who plays as a winger and attacking midfielder for Eredivisie club Feyenoord and the Iran national team. H ...

Ayman Hussein Aymen Hussein Ghadhban ( ar, أيمن حسين; born 21 January 1996) is an Iraqi professional footballer who plays as a striker for Qatar Stars League club Al-Markhiya and the Iraqi national team. Club career In 2009, Aymen was spotted as a ...

Mahdi Kamil Mahdi Kamil Shiltagh ( ar, مهدي كامل شلتاغ , born 6 January 1995 in Iraq) is an Iraqi midfielder who played for Al-Zawraa and the Iraq national football team. Early career The midfielder comes from a sporting background with hi ...

* Justin Meram *

Ahmed Yasin Sheikh Ahmed Ismail Hassan Yassin ( ar, الشيخ أحمد إسماعيل حسن ياسين; 1 January 1937 – 22 March 2004) was a Palestinian politician and imam who founded Hamas, a militant Islamist and Palestinian nationalist organiza ...

Keisuke Honda is a Japanese professional football manager and former player. he is the current general manager & head coach of the Cambodia U-23. A versatile player, Honda usually played as an attacking midfielder, but could also play as a winger, a fa ...

* Yosuke Ideguchi *

Shinji Kagawa Shinji Kagawa ( ja, 香川真司 ''Kagawa Shinji'' ; born 17 March 1989) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Belgian First Division A club Sint-Truiden and the Japan national team. He is widely regarded as one o ...

* Hiroshi Kiyotake * Yasuyuki Konno *

Shinji Okazaki is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward or attacking midfielder for Belgian club Sint-Truiden. Internationally, he is currently the top active Japan national team goalscorer and third all-time in team history with 50 goa ...

* Yuya Osako *

Hotaru Yamaguchi is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Vissel Kobe. He is also a member of the Japan national team. Club career Early career Yamaguchi began playing football in the third grade, playing mostly as an att ...

Maya Yoshida is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Bundesliga club Schalke 04 and captains the Japan national team. Club career Nagoya Grampus Born in Nagasaki, Japan, Yoshida began playing football at Nanling FC in his secon ...

* Ali Assadalla * Sebastián Soria *

Salem Al-Dawsari Salem Mohammed Shafi Al-Dawsari ( ar, سالم محمد شافي الدوسري; born 19 August 1991) is a Saudi Arabian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Saudi Professional League club Al Hilal and the Saudi Arabia national te ...

Taisir Al-Jassim Taiseer Jaber Al-Jassim ( ar, تيسير جابر الجاسم, can also be spelled as Taisir Al-Jassim, born 25 July 1984) is a former Saudi Arabian professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He was the captain of Al-Ahli Saudi FC and a ...

Salman Al-Moasher Salman Al-Moasher ( ar, سلمان المؤشر; born 5 October 1988) is a Saudi Arabian footballer who plays as a winger for Pro League club Al-Ahli and the Saudi Arabia national team. Career Salman Al-Moasher started his career at Heraa ...

* Nasser Al-Shamrani *

Omar Hawsawi Omar Hawsawi ( Arabic: عمر هوساوي; born on 27 September 1985) is a Saudi Arabian footballer who currently plays for Al-Ittihad. He also represented the Saudi Arabia national team and earned 53 caps between 2013 and 2019. He also partici ...

* Hong Jeong-ho *

Hwang Hee-chan Hwang Hee-chan ( ko, 황희찬; born 26 January 1996) is a South Korean professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers and the South Korea national team. Hwang is nicknamed the "Bull" (''Hwang ...

Ji Dong-won Ji Dong-won (, Hanja: 池東沅, or ; born 28 May 1991) is a South Korean professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Winger (association football), winger for FC Seoul and the South Korea national football team, South Korea ...

Lee Chung-yong Lee Chung-yong (; ; born 2 July 1988) is a South Korean footballer who plays as a winger for K League 1 club Ulsan Hyundai and is a South Korean international. He is nicknamed "Blue Dragon", which is a literal translation of his given name " ...

Nam Tae-hee Nam Tae-hee (Hangul: 남태희; Hanja: 南泰熙; ; born 3 July 1991 in Busan) is a South Korean footballer currently playing for Al-Duhail and the South Korea national team. Besides South Korea, he has played in England, France, and Qatar ...

Son Heung-min Son Heung-min ( ko, 손흥민; ; born 8 July 1992) is a South Korean professional footballer who plays as a forward for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and captains the South Korea national team. Considered one of the best forwards in ...

* Ahmad Al Salih * Omar Al Somah *

Tamer Haj Mohamad Tamer Haj Mohamad ( ar, تامر حاج محمد; born April 3, 1990, in Homs) is a Syrian professional footballer who plays for Tishreen, on loan from Al-Karamah in Syria. He is an ethnic Circassian. Club career Haj Mohamad started his caree ...

Pokklaw Anan Pokklaw Anan ( th, ปกเกล้า อนันต์, ) (born 4 March 1991), simply known as Pok ( th, ปก), is a Thai professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Thai League 1 club Bangkok United and the Thailand ...

Tana Chanabut Tana Chanabut ( th, ธนา ชะนะบุตร; born June 6, 1984), simply known as Man ( th, แมน) is Thai professional football manager and former football player. Club career Tana has also played for Thailand Premier League side ...

Mongkol Tossakrai Mongkol Tossakrai ( th, มงคล ทศไกร, born May 9, 1987), simply known as Yen ( th, เย็น), is a Thai football coach and former professional footballer. He is considered one of the top 5 players in Matchday 13 of the Tha ...

Ismail Matar Ismail Matar Ibrahim Khamis Al Mukhaini Al Junaibi ( ar, إسماعيل مطر; born 7 April 1983 in Sur) is an Omani footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or forward for UAE Pro League club Al Wahda. Matar was awarded the Golden B ...

* Odil Ahmedov *

Alexander Geynrikh Alexander Rudolfovich Geynrikh (russian: Александр Рудольфович Гейнрих, , german: Alexander Heinrich; born 6 October 1984) is a Uzbek former footballer who played as a forward for the Uzbekistan national team. Caree ...

Egor Krimets Egor Krimets ( uz, Егор Кримец or ''Yegor Krimets''; uk, Єгор Крімець, born 27 January 1992) is an Uzbek professional football player of Ukrainian descent who currently plays for Pakhtakor Tashkent. Career Club Krimets start ...

* Otabek Shukurov ;1 own goal *

Zheng Zhi Zheng Zhi (; born 20 August 1980) is a Chinese professional footballer and manager who played most of his career for Chinese Super League club Guangzhou F.C., becoming their captain and serving also as their caretaker manager in two stints ...

() * Ahmad Ibrahim () * Tanaboon Kesarat ()

Notes

References

External links

*
Qualifiers – Asia: Round 3
FIFA.com
FIFA World Cup
the-AFC.com
FIFA World Cup 2018
stats.the-AFC.com {{DEFAULTSORT:2018 FIFA World Cup qualification - AFC Third Round 3 Qual3 Qual3 Iran at the 2018 FIFA World Cup South Korea at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Japan at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Saudi Arabia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Australia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup