BANGKOK: Thailand revelled on Friday in a draw against Iraq that propelled the War Elephants into the final World Cup qualifying stage. The dramatic 2-2 draw in Tehran handed the Thais the point needed to top Group F in the second qualifying round for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The joint-qualifier also secured Thailand’s place in the 2019 Asian Cup in the UAE. The tense match saw Thailand seize the lead with five minutes remaining, sending the clutch of visiting fans in the Tehran stadium into a frenzy. Iraq levelled with the final kick of the game in injury time, but it was not enough to unseat the Thais from top spot. Thailand have never made the World Cup. But the team has crept up the FIFA rankings in the last few years, from 133 last year to 118.