Kuala Terengganu: Qatar went down fighting as Iraq prevailed 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out after their 2017 AFC Beach Soccer Championship Group C game finished 2-2 after extra time in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia yesterday.
Mohammed Abdulzahra was the hero as he converted his sudden death penalty after Naief Al Enazi missed for Qatar. Iraq’s Sajjad Hatem and Mohammed Naji as well Qatar’s Ibrahim Al Romaihi and Mojtaba Jafar all converted their earlier penalties.
Both sides went into the game with only pride at stake as the group’s other teams Japan and the United Arab Emirates are confirmed as the top two finishers vying for spot(s) in the semi-finals.
Iraq expressed their intentions early as keeper Mohammed Sabeeh delivered a strong end-to-end strike right into his Qatar counterpart Jamal Abu Hadod’s hands on the first minute before Mohammed Naji scored the Iraqis' opener with one minute remaining in the first period.
Qatar then came close to an equaliser when Srhan Al Khlif had only the keeper to beat but his shot went high before Iraq doubled their advantage through an own goal by Rashid Al Jassim.
Qatar duly cut it one down as Fawaz Daoud strongly headed home two minutes into the second period before Qatar keeper smartly denied a fast distance shot from Ali Habeeb.
The period ended with Iraq almost getting their third as Naji’s close-up shot hit the post.
The third period began with Qatar making a statement as Daoud found the equaliser and his second through a wonderful volley that caught the Iraqi keeper unawares.
Iraq’s Amer Atiyah then headed right in front of goal but the ball hit the woodwork before the game went into the tournament’s first extra time.
The extra period started with a Daoud kick straight into goal but Sabeeh deftly punched it away and despite several attempts at breaking the deadlock, the game came to a penalty shootout.
The top three finishers at the AFC Beach Soccer Championship will represent Asia at the 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, which is scheduled to be held in Nassau, Bahamas from April 27 to May 7.
