AFC U-16 Championship 2018 Qualifiers Group D: Palestine 0-4 Iraq
Kathmandu: Iraq took a giant stride towards qualification for the AFC U-16 Championship 2018 with a 4-0 win over Palestine in a Group D tie at the Halchowk grounds in Kathmandu on Friday.
Hasan Salman Shanan, captain Ahmed Ayad Al-Hilfi, Abdulrazzaq Qasim Subaihawi and Abdullah Hasoon Hameed scored for defending champions Iraq.
The second successive win lift Iraq to the top of the standings with six points with a game to spare. India can join them on six points if they beat hosts Nepal in Friday's second match.
The second straight defeat meant Palestine’s chances of qualification are over.
Both teams failed to muster any meaningful moves in the first 30 minutes with the only notable attempt coming in the 18th when Iraqi skipper Al-Hilfi found the side netting.
In the 31st minute, Ahmed Abdullah Dari Gul missed a sitter from eight yards for Iraq following a left wing cross from Hasan Salman Shanan.
With the goalmouth at his mercy, Dari Gul could have shot anywhere into the net but hit the ball straight into the hands of Palestine goalkeeper Mohammed Hamed.
Iraq should have gone into the break with with the lead only for Dari Gul to miss out on converting one of the easiest chances of the match in the first minute of added-on time.
Palestine goalkeeper Hamed fumbled a powerful free-kick from Iraqi skipper Al-Hilfi and Dari Gul was in the right place to shoot into an empty net but the forward ballooned his effort.
Iraq thought they had made a bright start to the second half when Shanan found the back of the net in the 47th minute but his effort was ruled offside.
Three minutes later Shanan scored a wonderful goal with a left footed drive from the left at the near post.
Palestine goalkeeper Hamed was guarding the near post but even a slight touch could not prevent the powerful shot from entering the goal.
Captain Al-Hilfi produced a spectacular goal in the 66th minute to double the Iraqi tally.
Fed just outside the area, Al Hilfi cut through two defenders before firing in a scorcher past a diving Hamed.
Any hopes of Palestine making a comeback were ended in the 71st minute when Abdulrazzaq Qasim Subaihawi added the third goal from penalty spot.
Iraq were awarded the spot-kick after Palestine captain Omar Kabha handled the ball.
Substitute Abdullah Hasoon Hameed added the fourth goal in the 89th minute as his shot from the edge of the area got a slight deflection off Amjad Qoran and entered the goal.
Ali Hadi Mohsin (Iraq coach)
"As was the case in the first match against Nepal, it was a difficult outing. The first half was especially a difficult affair. We were able to break their defence in the second half and once we opened the scoring, it opened the floodgates. What’s more important is that we collected all three points. We are not yet qualified and will take the next match in the same vein as we have been taking so far. We take all the opponents as a tough one and our next game against India will be no exception."
Yahya Jalayta (Palestine coach)
"We were on equal terms in the first half but some of our players got injured during the period and failed to replicate their performance after the resumption. With a goal down, we missed a chance for an equaliser and that turned out to be the game changer. Our boys are finding it really hard to cope with the local conditions but we hope to come up with a better showing in the last game (against Nepal). We will show our true colours on Sunday."
Photos: AFC
Source: the-afc.com
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