Iraq Group A champions

Iraqi forward Nabbar Shawkan points to the heavens after scoring a brace in their 3-2 win over Saudi Arabia in the AFC U-19 Championship Group A Qualifiers at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.Photo: STAR

Five-time champions Iraq emer-ged champions in the AFC U-19 Championship Group A Qualifiers beating favourites Saudi Arabia 3-2, courtesy of a brace from forward Nabbar Shawkan, at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.Apart from the Shawkan brace, Dhurgham Ismael Dawood one for Iraq while Saleh Al Shehri and Abdullah Mohammad scored one goal apiece for Saudi Arabia.
Iraq and Saudi Arabia had already confirmed their berths in the 16-team finals with three straight victories before this meeting, which decided the champions and runners-up spot.
It was a keenly contested encounter all throughout, as expected, and neither team managed establish outright dominance in the game like they did against the other teams in the group.
However, Iraq wasted only nine minutes to take the lead through forward Jabbar Shawkan only to be cancelled by tournament's top-scorer Saleh Al Shehri, who headed an Omar cross home in the 15th minute.
Iraq grabbed the lead again in the 36th minute when Ismael Dawood converted a spot-kick following handling of the ball by Saudi defender Alnakhli inside their penalty box.
However, last's edition semifinalists Saudi Arabia equalised again in the stoppage time of the first half as tall defender Abdullah found the net with a bouncing header following a corner taken by Almuwallad.
But the five-time champions Iraq had the last laugh as Jabbar struck his second goal to seal the fate of the match in the 72nd minute.