BANGKOK – Two goals from skipper Younis Mahmoud saw Iraq defeat Vietnam 2-0 in the AFC Asian Cup quarter-finals at the Rajamangala Stadium on Saturday as the West Asian nation reached the final four of the continent’s premier competition for the first time since 1976.

Mahmoud opened the scoring with just two minutes gone but Vietnam rallied and kept the Iraqis at bay until the Al Gharafa striker curled home a 64th minute free-kick to seal the win.

Iraq coach Jorvan Vieira was without the suspended Qusay Muneer and fellow midfielder Saleh Sadir while defender Khaldoun Ibrahim dropped to the bench. Haitham Kadhim and Karrar Jassim Mohammed came into midfield and Haidar Abdul Amer started in place of the Iran-based stopper.

After going down 4-1 to Japan in their final group match Vietnam coach Alfred Riedl opted to start with two up-front as Binh Duong dangerman Nguyen Anh Duc came in for midfielder Phan Van Tai Em, who didn’t make the trip to Bangkok due to his wedding ceremony. Midfielder Phung Cong Minh came in for Nguyen Minh Chuyen while Chau Phong Hoa replaced Phung Van Nhien in defence.

Riedl had stated that his team were the underdogs and any hopes that Vietnam would cause an upset suffered a massive blow within 90 seconds when Mahmoud put Iraq one up with his second goal of the tournament, heading home a Nashat Akram free-kick curled in from the left.

Vietnam struggled to find a foothold and didn’t create anything until the 18th minute when Le Cong Vinh’s shot was blocked for a corner before the Song Lam Nghe Anh striker tested Noor Sabri a minute later with a long-range shot that was taken comfortably by the Iraq keeper.

In the 32nd minute Iraq were forced into making a substitution with Ahmad Abid Ali replacing Haitham Kadhim, who never fully recovered from a crunching tackle from Cong Minh four minutes earlier, which earned the combative 21-year-old the first yellow card of the match.

On the stroke of half-time Vietnam came close to drawing level when Nguyen Vu Phong burst through the centre and played a one-two with Phong Hoa but the Binh Duong winger’s drive across the area was cleared by substitute Ahmad Abid Ali before Cong Vinh could knock the ball home from close range.

Five minutes after the interval Ali Hussein Rehema was fortunate to escape a booking when he pulled down Cong Vinh and the Iraqis escaped further punishment when Noor Sabri palmed clear the resulting free-kick swung in by Vu Phong.

Iraq doubled their advantage in the 64th minute and again it came courtesy of Mahmoud as the 2006/07 Qatar League top scorer exquisitely swept home a free-kick, awarded after a foul on Karrar Jassim.

Mahmoud almost completed his hat-trick in the 78th minute but his downward header following Mahdi Karim’s cross from the right was kept out well by Duong Hong Son and the man of the match had to be content with taking his tournament tally to three.

Iraq, who bowed out of the last three Asian Cups at the quarter-final stage, head to Kuala Lumpur to face either neighbours Iran or Korea Republic in the semi-finals on Wednesday. Sunday, July 22, 2007 at 12:07 PM