Iraq Play 21 Qualifiying Games to Finally Reach the World Cup Again
The win sees the West Asian side return to the global showpiece for the first time since making their debut in 1986, ironically when the tournament was last held in Mexico.
Iraq will have France, Senegal and Norway for company in Group I of the global showpiece.
Iraq sounded the first warning as early as the third minute when they worked a short free-kick for Ibrahim Bayesh to have a strike from distance that sailed over the bar.
Ali Al Ammari, who struck the winning penalty against the United Arab Emirates in the last round, then forced goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra into a finger tip save to push his free-kick onto the bar.
From the ensuing corner kick in the 10th minute, Iraq found the breakthrough as Ali Al Hamadi powered in a header from close range off a perfect Al Ammari in-swinging delivery.
Bolivia then started to get a foothold on the game with Ramiro Vaca producing a long range effort that was well read by Ahmed Basil.
A miscued Vaca hit in the 38th minute, however, saw the ball roll kindly into the path of Moises Paniagua to curl home the equaliser past Ahmed Basil.
Iraq started the second half on the front foot and regained their lead eight minutes in when Hussein flicked on a header to substitute Marko Farji, burst into the box to collect the cross before sweeping the ball past a bewildered Viscarra
Seeking to protect their lead, Graham Arnold withdrew his goalscoring pair with only Mohanad Ali in front while Ali Jasim came on in midfield.
It was a tactic that worked well with Bolivia restricted to half-chances outside the box, most notably Fernando Nava’s effort that Basil easily caught as Iraq kept the South Americans at bay to realise their FIFA World Cup dreams.