AFC Asian Cup 2019: Yemen 0 Iraq 3: Mohanad Ali stunner helps seal last 16 place

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Sharjah, January 12: Iraq cruised into the last 16 of the Asian Cup with a routine 3-0 victory over Yemen.

Srecko Katanec's men joined neighbours Iran, who eased to a 2-0 win against Vietnam earlier on Saturday, in progressing from Group D.

Mohanad Ali opened the scoring in the 11th minute with a fine individual goal, while an extremely fortuitous second from Bashar Resan eight minutes later doubled Iraq's advantage.

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Yemen, thrashed 5-0 by Iran last time out, never threatened a response thereafter and face Vietnam in their group finale with progression as one of the best third-placed teams still a possibility for the moment. Iraq meet Iran to determine who will top the group.

Yemen went close to levelling when Abdulwasea Al-Matari looped a header narrowly over the crossbar from a free-kick.

But, after falling behind to a fantastic opener, their hopes were further dented by a bizarre second as Resan's long-range effort took a huge deflection off Mudir Abdurabu, completely fooling Al-Sowadi and going in off the post.

The frame of the goal worked in Yemen's favour in the second half as Mohanad Ali hit the left-hand post, but that reprieve never looked like inspiring a turnaround.

And Iraq added late gloss to a one-sided affair as Yemen failed to deal with a cross from the right and Alaa Abbas powered home a stoppage-time third.