Iran advance to U16 Asian Cup finals

FNA – TEHRAN, Iran’s U-16 football team finished second in Group A after earning a 1-1 draw against Iraq.

Iraq and Iran played out a 1-1 draw as the 2012 AFC U-16 Championship qualifying Group A came to an end on Tuesday with the two side’s advancing to the finals by finishing first and second in the standings respectively.

With both teams having already booked their ticket to next year’s tournament proper all that was left to determine was who advanced as Group A winners and who progressed in the runners-up position.

And with Monday’s match at the Duhok Stadium ending all square after Iraq midfielder Bashar Bonyan equalizing barely 60 seconds after Sassan Jafferi Vali had given Iran a 42nd minute lead it was to be the Iraqis that took top spot on goal difference.

Qatar finished third with six points, four less than Iraq and Iran, after rounding off their Group A campaign with a 4-0 win over Bangladesh in Monday’s earlier match.