Uncle Sam’s Visas? Not for Iraq, Iran : World Cup: Both fail to qualify, alleviating fears of U.S. officials over possibility of political terrorism.

Fears of potential terrorism and diplomatic wrangling were averted Thursday when Saudi Arabia and South Korea qualified for the 1994 World Cup from the Asia group in soccer games played at Doha, Qatar.

Saudi Arabia beat Iran, 4-3, and South Korea beat North Korea, 3-0. Japan, which had had an excellent chance to qualify, saw that chance evaporate when it was scored on in the last 10 seconds and had to settle for a 2-2 tie with Iraq.

The three games were played simultaneously at different sites in the city. The competition for the two top places had been so close that teams waited to hear scores of other games before they were sure of their fate.

For moments after South Korea’s victory, the team’s players milled about the field, uncertain whether that would be enough. A minute later, the South Koreans burst into celebration with news that Iraq had tied Japan.

South Korea had the day’s easiest game. North Korea had won only one of five tournament games. The victory sends South Korea to the World Cup finals for the third consecutive time.

Saudi Arabia finished the qualifying tournament with a 2-0-3 record and seven points. South Korea was 2-1-2 and had six points. Japan had an identical record but lost on goal differential. South Korea was plus five, Japan plus three.

The Saudis had been playing just well enough to win but got two goals in a four-minute span in the first half to set the tone. An estimated 25,000 Saudi fans cheered their team and waved posters of King Fahd.

Japan went into the final game leading the six-team group. The team’s failure to qualify was a blow to the Japanese, who have never played in a World Cup final. The nation has experienced a boom in soccer interest since the start of the professional J-League, which has lured star players from Europe and South America with lucrative salaries.

The establishment of the league was a precursor to Japan’s bid for the World Cup in 2002.

After the game, the Iraqis celebrated, even though they had failed to reach their goal of obtaining “Uncle Sam’s visas.” That possibility would have been questionable even had they advanced, since the State Department had given no assurance that it would lift its prohibition against issuing visas to Iraqi citizens.

World Cup organizers had expressed concerns about possible terrorist activities if Iraq had qualified.

For similar reasons, qualification by Iran, an avowed enemy of the United States, and North Korea, whose feuding with the United States over nuclear arms continues, would not have been received favorably by the World Cup organizing committee.

Alan Rothenberg, World Cup ’94 chairman, issued a statement Thursday congratulating Saudi Arabia and South Korea and welcoming them to next summer’s finals.

World Cup Qualifiers

Nations that have qualified for the 24-nation soccer championship in 1994, with date qualified: Nation: Date

U.S. (host nation): July 4, 1988

Germany (def. champ): July 8, 1990

Mexico: May 9, 1993

Greece: May 23, 1993

Russia: June 3, 1993

Colombia: Sept. 5, 1993

Bolivia: Sept. 19, 1993

Brazil: Sept. 19, 1993

Nigeria: Oct. 8, 1993

Cameroon: Oct. 10, 1993

Morocco: Oct. 10, 1993

Norway: Oct. 13, 1993

Sweden: Oct. 13, 1993

Saudi Arabia: Oct. 28, 1993

South Korea: Oct. 28, 1993