Ireland Makes World Cup

Ireland became the 31st nation to qualify for next year’s World Cup in Japan and South Korea, despite a 1-0 loss Thursday to Iran in front of more than 85,000 disappointed soccer fans in Tehran.

Iran’s goal was scored in injury time on a header by Yahya Golmohammadi during the game’s closing seconds, but was not enough to offset Ireland’s 2-0 victory in the first leg in Dublin.

Afterward, Miroslav Blazevic, Iran’s Croatian coach, said he would resign.

Also quitting Thursday was Chile’s coach, Jorge Garces, who lasted only three games, the last of them a 0-0 tie with Ecuador on Wednesday night. Chile finished last in the 10-nation South American qualifying group.

In other games Thursday, Germany qualified with a 4-1 victory against Ukraine; Belgium advanced after a 1-0 victory against the Czech Republic and Turkey moved on with a 5-0 victory against Austria.