BELFAST — Northern Ireland's hopes of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil all but ended Wednesday despite an equalizer deep into stoppage time securing a 1-1 draw at home to minnow Azerbaijan. Rauf Aliyev's brilliant strike gave Azerbaijan a fifth-minute lead at Belfast's Windsor Park and it wasn't until the sixth minute of added-on time that Northern Ireland leveled through David Healy, their record goalscorer. The draw left Northern Ireland with just three points from four games in Euro Zone Group F qualifying. Uzbekistan, meanwhile, moved into pole position to qualify for a first World Cup when Ulugbek Bakaev struck the only goal to grab a precious 1-0 win away over Iran in Asian qualifying Wednesday. — Agencies
