UAE defeat Iraq 3-2 to clinch Asian Cup third place

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) have taken the third place in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup after beating Iraq 3-2 in Friday's third place match in Newcastle.

The UAE were defeated 2-0 by host nation Australia in Tuesday's semifinal after 2007 winners went down by an identical margin to two-time winners South Korea on Monday. Australia and South Korea will face each other in Saturday's final in Sydney.

After a quiet start, the game came alive in the 16th minute when playmaker Omar Abdulrahman unerringly found forward Ahmed Khalil with a defence splitting pass. Khalil calmly slotted in beneath Iraq goalkeeper Mohammed Hameed.

Four minutes later, Iraq showed signs of what was to come. Younus Mahmood broke through the UAE defence and hit the post with a lob. He blasted the ricochet but it was pushed over the bar.

However, Iraq equalised in the 29th minute through right-back Waleed Salim, whose bullet shot deflected off UAE defender Khamis Ismael to nestle in the back of the net.

Abdulrahman received a yellow card in the 41st minute for a needless foul on Iraq's Saad Abdulameer.

Iraq took the lead into the half-time break when defender Amjed Kalaf slotted home a rebound in the 42nd minute after Iraq midfielder Ahmed Yaseen's right-footed, long-range shot was parried by UAE custodian Khalid Eisa.

Within seconds of the restart, Iraq threatened again with Mahmood blasting wide from close range with only the goalkeeper to beat.

However, Abdulrahman again imposed himself in the game in the 52nd minute paving the way for the UAE's equaliser. The playmaker spotted Khalil's clever run behind the Iraqi defence and once again found him easily, this time a cleverly disguised lob. The striker made no mistake scoring his fourth of the tournament equaling the tally of his strike partner Ali Mabkhout.

The Emiratis took the lead three minutes later and it was the turn of Mabkhout to slot home the penalty -- his fifth goal of the tournament -- which he had earned after he was brought down in the penalty box by Iraq defender Ahmed Ibrahim.

Ibrahim was given a red card for the offence giving 10-man Iraq the difficult task of scoring an equaliser to take the game to extra-time.

However, Mahdi Ali's men capitalised on the numerical advantage and dug deep to thwart Iraqi hopes.