Iraq's player Kerrar Jasim (L) celebrates after he scored a goal during their AFC Asian Cup Group D match against North Korea at Al-Rayyan Stadium in Doha Wednesday. (AP) DOHA: Defending champion Iraq completed the quarterfinal line-up at the Asian Cup by beating North Korea 1-0 Wednesday, while a second-string Iran crushed United Arab Emirates 3-0. Iraq winger Kerrar Jasim converted a rebound mid-way through the first half at the Al-Rayyan Stadium in Doha and his goal was enough to set up a clash with Group D winner Australia. “We deserved this victory. We especially played very well in the first half,” said Iraq's German coach Wolfgang Sidka. “In the last 20 minutes North Korea did everything to get back into the match so we lost the possession of the ball, but not too much.” Arash Afshin and Mohammad Nori were Iran's goalscorers, with Walid Abbas also putting through his own goal as Afshin Ghotbi's team completed the group phase as the only side with a 100 percent record. Afshin was later sent off, however, and UAE defender Khalid Sebil also saw red to leave both sides with 10 men on the pitch at the final whistle. Iran will now meet in-form South Korea – for the fifth consecutive time at this stage of the tournament – having already secured top spot in Group C thanks to a superior head-to-head record against Iraq. “It's a completely new tournament now,” said Iran coach Ghotbi. “Without this match (against South Korea), it's not an Asian Cup,” he added, predicting that it will be “one of the most exciting matches in Asian Cup history”. Iraq dominated the first half against North Korea, with Iraqi striker Mustafa Kareem diverting Samal Saeed's downward header against the crossbar in the 17th minute. The 2007 champion made the breakthrough five minutes later. Kareem sent in a powerful, swerving shot from 22 yards that North Korea goalkeeper Ri Myong-guk could only parry and Jasim slid in to score. Kareem volleyed narrowly over from close range in the 37th minute, with a 35-yard free-kick by Jong Tae-se that Mohammad Kassid saved comfortably the best that North Korea could offer in the first half. Jasim was narrowly off-target with a long-range strike early in the second period, while Bochum striker Jong squandered a clear sight of goal when he swivelled and shot straight at Kassid with 13 minutes remaining. Having already qualified, Iran made no less than nine changes to its line-up at the Qatar Sports Club Stadium. The changes allowed UAE to take the initiative and Ahmad Khalil struck the left-hand post from a tight angle on 15 minutes after shuffling into the area from wide on the left. The game became bogged down in midfield in the second half but in a rare moment of class, UAE goalkeeper Majed Nasser sprang to his right superbly to tip Ghasem Hadadifar's goal-bound effort around the post. Iran broke the deadlock in the 70th minute, Afshin scoring from close range after striker Mohammad Gholami had hit the bar twice in quick succession with a pair of headers. Afshin was shown a second yellow card for a reckless challenge on Nasser, with Sebil swiftly following him down the tunnel after a late foul on Hadadifar that earned him a second caution. Nori applied the finish to a sweeping Iran move before Abbas's injury-time own goal – his second in consecutive games – killed the game off, as UAE, like North Korea, limped out of the tournament without a goal to their name. The quarterfinals get under way Friday, with hosts Qatar tackling three-time champion Japan and Group A winner Uzbekistan taking on Jordan. Yaser thrown out of Qatar team Midfielder Hussain Yaser was thrown out of Qatar's Asian Cup squad Wednesday after storming out of the team camp in a huff, officials said. The 27-year-old, who plays for Egyptian giants Al-Zamalek, left Tuesday, apparently in response to being replaced by coach Bruno Metsu with youngster Mohamed Al-Sayed in their first match against Uzbekistan. Metsu then didn't use him in their subsequent matches against China and Kuwait. “Yaser was removed because his response wasn't up to the expectations and he was absent from some training sessions,” team manager Abdulrahman Al-Mahmoud told the Qatar Football Association website. “If he was angry because he was sitting on the bench then he should have done his best to prove that he should play. – Agence France
