AFC Asian Qualifiers
Aymen Hussein’s first half brace, scored either side of Amir Ali Ammari’s 31st minute strike, sent the Lions of Mesopotamia on their way to a comprehensive victory over the Azkals at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
Zidane Iqbal and Zaid Tahseen netted in the second half to seal a win that moves Iraq onto a maximum 12 points from their opening four games and guarantees Casas’ team will finish in the top two places to enter into the draw for the next phase on June 27.
Iraq took the lead in the 13th minute after Nazmi Nasaruddin pointed to the spot as Paul Tabinas bundled over Ali Jassim and, while Neil Etheridge guessed correctly, Hussain’s penalty possessed too much power for the Birmingham City goalkeeper to save.
The Azkals’ Santiago Rublico threatened on the break 20 minutes into the game, the young Atletico Madrid winger bursting down the left before moving the ball onto his right foot to unleash a shot from 20 yards that flew across the face of Jalal Hassan’s goal.
However, Iraq doubled their lead just after the half-hour mark, Hussein Ali Haidar’s cutback from the right finding Jassim and, while the Air Force Club forward’s shot was blocked, the ball landed at the feet of Amir Fouad, who lashed his low shot beyond the diving Etheridge.
With eight minutes remaining in the half the visitors’ advantage was further increased by Hussein, who latched onto Rebin Salaka’s pass from deep having wrestled his way beyond Amani Aguinaldo to stroke the ball coolly home.
Rublico, the home side’s brightest attacking outlet, forced Hassan into action four minutes before the break when the Iraq goalkeeper palmed an effort from the 18-year-old around the post as the Azkals desperately sought a foothold in the game.
That was never to come, although Iraq were forced to wait until the 61st minute for their fourth, Iqbal controlling Al Ammari’s lofted pass on his thigh before slamming home a left-foot shot while Tahseen headed in Loay Al Ani’s 77th minute corner to score his side’s fifth.
