The result sees the five-time champions topping Group B with four points, one clear of Saudi Arabia and Jordan, who defeated DPR Korea 2-1 in the earlier match.
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Iraq were the aggressors from the start, and Mustafa Qabeel Mustafa could have opened the scoring in the ninth minute but his close-range header sailed over the bar.
The 2023 runners-up continued pushing forward, with Karrar Jaafar trying his luck from outside the box in the 12th minute only to see his attempt land square in keeper Wisam Ali Alkhaleeli’s hands.
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Iraq finally broke the duck in the 25th minute when Amoori Faisal’s free-kick took a deflection off the Saudi Arabia wall and sailed past keeper Hamed Abdullah Yousef into the top right corner.
Mustafa Nawaf tried his luck in the 31st minute with an attempt off a header from Mustafa that fell right at his feet, but his run to the edge of the box amounted to nothing when his shot went just wide of the right post.
Group B – MD2: Saudi Arabia v Iraq
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Iraq kept the Saudi Arabia defence on their toes until the break but could not find the finishing touch to cushion their lead.
Three-time winners Saudi Arabia took the game to their opponents in the second half, but attempts by Thamer Al Khaibri, Saad Haqawi and Talal Haji were all let down by poor finishing.
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Talal Haji had an opportunity to level the score in the 67th minute when an unintentional back flick by an Iraqi defender landed at his feet, but the Saudi Arabia striker’s tame shot from inside the box was easily saved by Ali Alkhaleeli.
He came close again three minutes later, but his attempt to lob the ball off a pin-point cross by Saad Haqawi was easily palmed away as Iraq took the points.
Iraq will play Jordan on Wednesday while Saudi Arabia take on DPR Korea.
