VIETNAM was eliminated from the AFC Asian Cup with a dismal third straight defeat, a 3-2 loss to Iraq in Group D on Wednesday.
Aymen Hussein came off the bench to score twice as Iraq advanced to the knockout stage with a perfect nine points.
Bui Hoang Viet Anh volleyed home Khuat Van Khang’s free-kick to break the deadlock for Vietnam in the 42nd minute, but Khuat’s second yellow card before halftime put his teammates at a disadvantage, Xinhua news agency reported.
With Ali Jasim and Hussein brought on from the bench in the second half, Iraq showed its ambition to win the game.
Iraq leveled the score only two minutes into the second half as Jasim’s corner kick released a Rebin Solaka header into the Vietnamese goal.
Hussein headed the ball past Vietnam’s goalkeeper Filip Nguyen in the 73rd minute but saw his spot-kick denied by the woodwork ten minutes later.
Hussein finally scored the winner in the last minute of the game through a penalty after Ngyuen Quang Hai restored parity for Vietnam in the first minute of stoppage time.
Japan ranked second in the group and confirmed a slot in the last 16 after cruising past Indonesia 3-1, Xinhua reported.
Ayase Ueda’s penalty in the sixth minute initiated a comfortable victory for Hajime Moriyasu’s side, and Ueda found an empty net for his second goal of the match in the 52nd minute.
Japan imposed consistent pressure afterwards, forcing Indonesia’s defender Justin Hubner to score an own goal when he was trying to block Ueda’s powerful shot.
Indonesia got a late consolation in the 91st minute when Sandy Walsh scored from close range. –Bernama-Xinhua
