Last time we eliminated a top asian team from asian cup or WCQ

[peiman92]

Was in the 2004 asian cup when we beat South Korea 4-3.
In 1997 we knocked out Australia( although they were competing in oceania back then).
I know we defeated South Korea 3 times in a row during WCQ but in the end they qualified both times.
They knocked us out in 2007 and 2011 asian cups.
They knocked us out in 2010 WCQ.
Japan knocked us out in 2016 olympic qualifiers and now in 2019 asian cup.
We won against them in 2006 WCQ but in the end they qualified.
Even Iraq knocked us out in 2012 olympic qualifiers and 2015 asian cup.
We defeated them twice during 2002 WCQ but in the end we didn't qualify.
We just can't win when it really matters.

[ABalls]

This is a bit of a skewed statistic with such a limited pool of games for elimination games and counting amature teams. If you look since 2012 with the professional team we've had a decent record against major teams in competitive games. I count there being 10 of those and we have 3 wins, 3 ties and 4 losses.
Going undefeated vs South Korea (3-0-1), drawing Nigeria and Portugal, and losing to Japan, Spain, Argentina, and Bosnia.

[peiman92]

This is a bit of a skewed statistic with such a limited pool of games for elimination games and counting amature teams. If you look since 2012 with the professional team we've had a decent record against major teams in competitive games. I count there being 10 of those and we have 3 wins, 3 ties and 4 losses.
Going undefeated vs South Korea (3-0-1), drawing Nigeria and Portugal, and losing to Japan, Spain, Argentina, and Bosnia.

The statistic is not skewed as it represents our weak record in elimination games against top asian teams.
The elimination games are more important and obviously the are less in number than qualifying or group games.
I would not call the olympic team an amateur team as we are dying to qualify for the olympics.

I would call your statistic skewed as all the victories in your list of 10 games is against South Korea!
And those wins did not eliminate South Korea now did they?

I forgot to mention Saudi Arabia as well.
In 1984,1988 and 1996 asian cups who did they eliminate in the semifinals to become champions?
When was the last time we eliminated them in an asian cup?

In 1994,1998,2002 and 2010 WCQ they finished ahead of us eliminating us in 1994 and 2002. ( I would say that they eliminated us in 2010 as well but as they didn't qualify themselves i leave that one out.)

Japan knocked us out in 1992 asian cup. When have we knocked them out?

[RaginG Inferno]

Iran can't knock anyone out in a WCQ round because a team's ability to qualify for a WC is not only dependent on their games with Iran, but rather five other teams.

[Equalizer]

Iran can't knock anyone out in a WCQ round because a team's ability to qualify for a WC is not only dependent on their games with Iran, but rather five other teams.

Agreed. Absolutely no argument here.

[RaginG Inferno]

We always get the mouthbreathers posting after a big loss.