Iraq beat UAE 2-0 to reach Gulf Cup semi-finals

DOHA (Reuters) - Iraq scored two first-half goals to beat United Arab Emirates 2-0 at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha and secure their place in the Arabian Gulf Cup semi-finals. Striker Alaa Abbas put Iraq ahead in the sixth minute, and skipper Alaa Abdul-Zahra doubled their lead in the 37th. Manager Srecko Katanec’s team, who beat hosts Qatar 2-1 in their opening game, have six points and sit at the top of Group A, three points clear of the UAE and Qatar, who thrashed Yemen 6-0 with left-back Abdelkarim Hassan scoring a hat-trick. Hassan, the best player in Asia in 2018, opened the scoring from close range after 29 minutes and the Al-Sadd player doubled the lead with a goal from outside the box in the 36th. Almoez Ali, top scorer in the Asian Cup earlier this year, made it 3-0 in the 57th minute and Hassan completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 72nd. Substitute Abdullah Al-Ahrak added a fifth with a long-range effort in the 85th minute, and forward Akram Afif completed the rout in stoppage time. Qatar will now meet the UAE on Monday, needing a draw to reach the semi-finals along with Iraq. Yemen are bottom of the group with no points, and must continue their search for a first Gulf Cup victory.