MONTERREY, April 1 -- Iraq became the 48th and final team to qualify for the World Cup yesterday, defeating Bolivia 2-1 in an intercontinental play-off in Mexico to seal their first appearance at the finals in 40 years.

Iraq, whose preparations for yesterday's play-off had been disrupted by the war in the Middle East, will play in World Cup Group I against France, Senegal and Norway.

Goals from Ali Al-Hamadi and Aymen Hussein secured a famous win for Iraq, whose last appearance at the World Cup came at the 1986 finals in Mexico.

The win marked a triumph for Iraq's Australian coach Graham Arnold, who had initially sought to have yesterday's fixture postponed due to the disruption caused by the regional conflict triggered by US-Israeli s...