Riyadh: An Ali Mabkhout double handed the UAE a 2-0 final group game victory over Iraq which sent the Whites through to the Gulf Cup semi-finals at the King Fahd International Stadium here on Thursday.
The result sees defending champions UAE qualify second from Group B on goal difference behind group winners Oman, who beat record ten-time champions Kuwait 5-0 thanks to a 15-minute hat-trick from super-sub Said Salim in a match played simultaneously at the Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Stadium.
History edged in Iraq’s favour coming into the game with two wins to the UAE’s one in eight previous Gulf Cup meetings.
The UAE’s first and only victory over Iraq came in last year’s Gulf Cup final when the Whites beat the Lions of Mesopotamia 2-1 in extra-time.
UAE coach Mahdi Ali’s only change from the Kuwait game was to switch injured Amer Abdul Rahman for Madjed Hassan. The Whites continued with the 4-2-3-1 formation that had sparked so much life into them versus Kuwait.
The UAE’s only first half effort came when Ahmad Khalil played Madjid Hassan through on goal, but the Iraqi keeper came out to smother the ball before Hassan could get a foot to it.
Then from nowhere Ali Mabkhout struck a 30-yard screamer into the top right corner on 49 minutes after Habib Fardan teed him up on the edge of the area.
A bad pass back from Iraq’s Ali Atiyah was then pounced upon by Ahmad Khalil who tapped Mabkhout through for his second just after the hour.
Omar Abdul Rahman headed wide from a cross, Hamam Tariq cleared off the line and Abdul Rahman hit the side netting from a mazy run into the box in the last ten minutes. But the UAE had already done enough to confirm their progression to Sunday’s semi-final, where they will play hosts and Group A winners Saudi Arabia.
