Into the last eight: UAE score fastest-ever goal in 2-1 win

As Bahrain topple, Iran record 1-0 victory over Qatar at Asian Cup

SYDNEY: UAE striker Ali Mabkhout scored after 14 seconds on Thursday – the fastest goal in Asian Cup history – to propel his side towards a 2-1 win over Bahrain.

The Group C victory in Canberra marked the first time UAE had won their opening two matches at the tournament and set them on the way to qualifying for the quarter-finals.

It was Mabkhout's third goal of the Asian Cup after a double in UAE's opening 4-1 win against Qatar Sunday, making him the tournament's top scorer.

Azmoun stunner earns Iran win

Sardar Azmoun's fabulous solo goal earned Iran a 1-0 win over Qatar and a place in the Asian Cup quarter-finals alongside the UAE yesterday.

Solid Qatari defending kept Iran at bay until shortly after half time in Sydney when Azmoun's instinctive touch and shot ended their resistance and sent a partisan crowd wild.

Carlos Queiroz's Team Melli are now into the quarter-finals for the sixth time in a row and continue to look strong contenders to break their 39-year Asian Cup drought.

But Qatar crashed out just weeks after winning the Gulf Cup in November and they exit Group C alongside Bahrain, eliminated after a 2-1 loss to the UAE earlier.

As Iranian fans celebrated outside the stadium, Queiroz, who has worked with Real Madrid, Manchester United and Portugal, hailed Azmoun's strike as ‘brilliant’.

"It was a brilliant goal. It was a special movement of the centre-forward, a great turn at the level of some of the best centre-forwards I have worked with in my life," he said.

 

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