Asian Cup 2015: Iraq beat Palestine to set up quarter-final clash with Iran

IRAQ will meet its rival Iran in the quarter-final of the Asian Cup after making hard work of dispatching Palestine 2-0 at Canberra Stadium on Tuesday night.

Ahmed Yaseen Gheni of Iraq (C) celebrates scoring against Palestine with teammates Waleed Salim Al­-Lami (L) Dhurgham Ismael Dawood (2nd-R) and Marwan Hussein Al-­Ajeeli (R) during their Group D football match of the AFC Asian Cup in Canberra on January 20, 2015. AFP PHOTO/Peter PARKS --IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE

IRAQ will meet its rival Iran in the quarter-final of the Asian Cup after making hard work of dispatching Palestine 2-0 at Canberra Stadium on Tuesday night.

Younus Mahmood’s early second half goal and Ahmed Yasin’s 15m strike in the 89th minute secured the win after Iraq had eight shots on target in the final Group D clash.

Now Iraq has the added bonus of not having to travel given the knockout clash will be played in Canberra on Friday.

Palestine was resilient and despite leaving the tournament without a point proved to be a tough side to beat before bowing out of the Asian Cup.

Iraq couldn’t find the back of the net in a scoreless opening and was forced to throw on its star left back Ali Adnan - known as the Gareth Bale of Asia - for Amjed Kalaf in a quest to find the opening goal after the break.

Dhurgham Ismail of Iraq (r) and Jaka Hbaisha of Palestine compete for the ball during their Asian Cup Group D match in Canberra.

Adnan then found Mahmood at the near post with a perfect cross and it was 1-0 for Iraq from a simple corner in the 48th minute.

Yasin made it 2-0 when a visibly tiring Palestine couldn’t halt an array of passes in front of the box before the forward unleashed an unstoppable drive.

Before that second goal Mahmood, who hasn’t had a club since January last year, had a chance to give Iraq a two-goal cushion on the hour from the penalty spot.

But Palestine’s brilliant gloveman Tawfiq Abduhammad parried the effort when he dived to his left.

Justin Meram from US club Columbus Crew won the spot kick when he was dragged down by Ahmed Mahajna after a tantalising cross from gun fullback Waleed Salim.

But for all of Iraq’s first half attacking forays – Palestine, the most lowly AFC ranked side of this Asian Cup - should have been content when referee Emirati Mohammed Abdulla Hassan blew the half-time whistle.

For the first time in the tournament Palestine - playing in its first Asian Cup - held a nation scoreless after copping two goals in the opening 45 minutes of the Group D clash against Japan (4-0) before crashing to three goals down to Jordan (5-1) in the opening stanza.

If it wasn’t for the brilliance of substitute gloveman Abduhammad - who replaced skipper Ramzi Saleh - and interim captain Abdallatif Al Bahdari Iraq could have had a handy half time lead.

But Iraq, despite not finding the back of the net, was at times breathtaking and Salim was nothing short of stunning.

Iraq’s Younus Mahmood (No. 10) attacks the Palestine goal.

Imposing and with a willing engine to go forward at all times, Salim created chance after chance for Iraq in an entertaining first half.

But there was concern for Iraq’s Saad Abdulameer in the 19th minute when he bravely contested a cross only to collect the fist of Abduhammad as the goalkeeper punched the ball clear. Blood streamed from the nose of Abdulameer before he was patched up.

A minute later Palestine had Iraq flustered when a super corner from star winger Ashraf Nu’man had keeper Jalal Hassan flapping at the ball before Al Bahdari’s attempted shot was blocked by some desperate defending.

Iraq then turned on the afterburners when Salim fired in a pint-point cross which eluded heads except for Al Bahdari’s skull.

Salim then tested Abduhammad with a 30m dipping shot which the keeper parried before Palestine cleared the danger in the 23rd minute.

Salim was again involved four minutes before the break when he fired in another cross which Mahmood smacked on target but he couldn’t beat Abduhammad.

But in the 50th minute Nu’man hit a 10m drive which Hassan saved with his legs. It was proof Palestine wasn’t throwing in the towel.

Palestine’s Ismail Al Amour had Hassan scrambling again when his 25m volley sailed just wide of the upright in the 65th minute.

Mahmood had consecutive chances from corners - one from Adnan’s sweet left leg - to score again but some resolute Palestine defending kept Iraq frustrated in the 75th minute.

Originally published as Asian Cup 2015: Iraq beat Palestine to set up quarter-final clash with Iran