THAILAND 0:2 IRAQ

ASIAN CUP 2000 (LEBANON)

Report by: FootballAsia.com

Cautions:
Tawan Sripan (THA) (22') , Abdul Wahab Aboulheil (IRQ) (41') , Abdul Jabar Hashim (IRQ) (50') , Surachai Jirasirachote (THA) (88') .

Iraq 2 Thailand 0

Iraq took the opening three points of the Asian Cup with a comfortable 2-0 win over Thailand in Saida as Qahtan Chatir and Haider Mahmood gave their side the points with a goal in each half against the improving South East Asian nation.

Milan Zivadinovic's side dominated the opening 45 minutes and it was no surprise when they took the lead through Kerkh striker Qahtan Chatir, although the goal owed much to the drive and thrust of midfielder Abbas Obeid Jassim.

Jassim, who plays his football for Korean side Pohang Steelers, turned Iraqi defence into attack with a penetrating run from deep inside his own half into the heart of Thai territory. The back-line panicked, two Thais challenging Jassim simultaneously only to see the ball loop wide to Chatir, who cut inside and fired the ball under goalkeeper Wirat Wangchang.

The goal was no less than Iraq deserved after controlling the first half-hour, with Jassim floating in midfield and creating bedlam for Peter Withe's team.

But the opening minutes of the second period were a completely different matter as the Thais came out looking to equalise while Iraq looked sluggish.

The Thais, though, were unable to pull level, the closest effort coming from captain Choketawee Promrut, who should have done better than finding the hands of goalkeeper Hashim Khamis with his close range header after Therdsak Chaiman's corner was deflected into his path.

However, after several near misses for Thailand, the Iraqis doubled their lead and effectively killed the game in the 59th minute as Haider Mahmood rounded Wirat before driving the ball into the roof of the net.

Zivadinovic's team then looked to shut the game down, restricting the Thais to several long-range efforts, one of which , from substitute Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul, looped onto the top of the Iraqi crossbar before bouncing behind to safety.

But Iraq, who reached the quarter-finals of the last tournament in the United Arab Emirates, always looked to have more in reserve and squandered a number of chances to further increase their advantage as Withe's team tired.