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Iraq reach quarter-finals, face China
(China Daily)
Updated: 2004-07-27 06:23
Second-half substitute Younis Mahmoud scored in the 86th minute to give Iraq
a 2-1 victory over three-time champion Saudi Arabia yesterday and send it to the
quarter-finals of the Asian Cup for the third straight time.
Iraq finished with a 2-0-1 record in Group C and will face hosts China in
Beijing on Friday. Uzbekistan beat Turkmenistan 1-0 yesterday to win the group
and will play Bahrain in Chengdu on Friday.
Iraq's Younis
Khalaf (R) celebrates with teammate Bassim Kati after Khalaf scored a goal
against Saudi Arabia during the second-half of their Asian Cup Finals
Group C match in Chengdu, capital of China's southwestern Sichuan
Province, July 26, 2004. Iraq beat Saudi Arabia 2-1 and will advance to
the quarter-finals. [Reuters] |
The victory
comes in Iraq's first major tournament since the US-led invasion more than a
year ago and ends a 16-year losing streak against the Saudis. The Saudis return
home having finished last in the group behind Turkmenistan having managed only
one point from a 2-2 draw against Turkmenistan in the opening game.
Mohmoud, who replaced Razzaq Farhan in the 61st minute, entered as a
substitute for the third straight game and capitalized on a rebound.
Iraq's Nashat Ali
(L) reaches for the ball beside Saudi Arabia's Saod Al Kaebari during the
second-half of their Asian Cup Finals Group C match in Chengdu, capital of
Southwest China's Sichuan Province, July 26, 2004.
[Reuters] |
Emad Mohammed broke past the Saudi
defense and fired a shot that goalkeeper Mansour Al Naje blocked but couldn't
hold. Running to Emad's right, Mahmoud pounced on the rebound to score, setting
off a loud celebration by the team and the Chinese crowd which has strongly
backed the Iraqis.
The goal came after Iraq created repeated counterattack chances. It was the
third game in eight days for both teams, who appeared sluggish and unfocused at
the start and were issued three yellow cards in the first half for careless
fouls.
But as in its previous games, Iraq improved in the second half, taking the
lead in the 51st minute when Nashat Akram collected a short pass from Farhan
just inside the penalty area. He put the ball on his left foot and shot back
across the to score into the corner of the net.
Saudi Arabia responded just seven minutes later when Hamad Al Montashari
headed in a deflected cross from Ahmed Dokhi.
Iraq narrowly missed several opportunities in final 20 minutes, with Mahmoud
bouncing a shot off the post and substitute Talal Al Meshal also threatening
twice, but sending one shot wide while goalkeeper Ahmed Ali beat him to the ball
on his second.
Uzbekistan advance
Mirdjalal Kasimov scored early in the second half and Uzbekistan beat
Turkmenistan 1-0 to eliminate their former Soviet countrymen and advance to the
quarter-finals.
Uzbekistan finished with nine points atop Group C, winning each of its three
matches by a 1-0 score. Turkmenistan finishes its first appearance in the Asian
Cup with an 0-1-2 record, its only point coming in a 2-2 opening draw with Saudi
Arabia.
Uzbekistan's Ilyas Zeytulayev (L) fights
for the ball with Turkmenistan's Artyom Nazarov during the first
half of their Group C match at the Asian Cup soccer in Chongqing July 26,
2004. [Reuters] |
Kasimov gave Uzbekistan
the lead 13 minutes after halftime, bending a 25-metre free kick around the wall
and into the net.
Turkmenistan's goalkeeper Pavel Harchik got his fingertips on the ball, not
enough to deflect the powerful shot.
Both teams started nervously, playing mostly in midfield throughout the first
half with Turkmenistan dominating possession and creating several half-chances.
But Uzbekistan hit back with fast counters and set up two good scoring
opportunities.
In the 28th minute, Ildar Magdeev pounced on a loose ball from the edge of
the penalty area sending his shot just wide of the post.
Two minutes before halftime, Harchik tipped over the crossbar a sharp
left-footer from Marat Bikmoev.
Although Uzbekistan was left with only 10 men from the 85th minute when Islom
Innomov received a second caution, Turkmenistan's forwards never managed to
create serious scoring opportunities in the second half.
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