On September 5, 2017, in Tehran, Syria was trailing Iran 2–1 in the final seconds of the match. Had the match ended that way, Syria’s World Cup qualifying campaign would have come to an end. However, Omar Al-Somah’s goal in the 93rd minute saved the team. The match ended in a thrilling 2–2 draw, which allowed Syria to advance to the Asian playoffs.
The Goal That Changed the Campaign
What made this match unusual was not so much the result as the situation itself. Syria played the decisive away match in Tehran against an Iran side that had already secured qualification for the 2018 World Cup. Syria, meanwhile, still needed a result to stay alive in the race for the Asian play-off. The goal was scored by a player who hadn’t played for the national team in many years and had only recently been called up:
- Score: Iran 2-2 Syria, 5 September 2017
- Decisive moment: a 93rd-minute equaliser
- Consequence: a two-legged playoff against Australia
- Context: an entire campaign played without a home venue
Al-Somah’s goal allowed Syria to avoid elimination from the tournament and secure a spot in the next round, and although the draw with Australia was a missed opportunity, the result of that match in Tehran continues to serve as a benchmark for the success of every Syrian national team in the years since.
The Comeback Nobody Talks About
It’s worth mentioning another resurgence that is happening right now, rather than one based on an analysis of historical data. For Syria, the 2026 World Cup qualifiers were a disappointing experience, after which the team began a rebuild, fielding a much younger squad, and ultimately finished the Asian Cup qualifiers with 6 wins in 6 matches and a goal difference of +19.
The last of this series of qualifying wins took place on March 31, 2026, when Syria defeated Afghanistan 5–1. Thanks to this streak, during which the team did not drop a single point, Syria secured its spot in the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Following the National Team Across Borders
The outcome of the match in Tehran was watched by a country that is unable to host games on its own territory, and the situation has remained virtually unchanged since then. Matches in Syria are often not featured on any major television broadcast schedule, forcing viewers to track score updates and the schedule themselves. The national team’s matches appear in the schedules of various regional bookmakers, including RolsBet Syria, alongside the qualifying group standings, and often remain the only source of information until details about television broadcasts are announced. The kickoff time may change if the match is moved to a neutral venue. If the team in question does not have a permanent home stadium, the first thing to do is find out the kickoff time.
Where the Audience Watches From
The second question is where exactly these fans live. Fans of the Syrian national team are scattered throughout the region and beyond. This means that for many fans, each match starts at a different time. At the same time, notifications via the RolsBet mobile app are sent almost simultaneously and can be received in different time zones. This is important because qualifying matches start at noon in one country and late at night in another.
Reading a Team Built on Comebacks
Sides that specialise in late goals are difficult to price, and Syria has been exactly that for a decade. The pattern shows up in the timing of the goals rather than in the results table, which is why pre-match assessments of this team tend to age badly. The table below sets out what actually moves the needle before kick-off.
| Factor | Why it matters |
| Late goals | The 2017 equaliser and several qualifying results arrived after the 80th minute, which shifts value toward in-play rather than pre-match markets |
| Neutral venues | Years without a genuine home advantage mean the usual home-team assumptions do not transfer |
| Opposition tier | Beating Afghanistan 5-1 and drawing with Qatar are different competitions in practice, and mixed form lines mislead badly |
| Squad availability | Players are based across several leagues with different calendars, and call-up lists shift close to matchdays |
None of this predicts a result, and none of it replaces watching an early group match. It simply keeps one dramatic finish from being read as a permanent characteristic of the side.