Ahmed al-Hashmi scored a 78th minute penalty as the United Arab Emirates qualified for the quarter-finals of the AFC U23 Championship and a meeting with defending champions Iraq as Group D winners after edging out Vietnam 3-2 in an enthralling contest at Grand Hamad Stadium yeterday.
Ngyuen Cong Phuong had given Vietnam, who were unable to progress, a deserved lead midway through the first half only for an own goal from Pham Hoang Lam to level the scores just after the hour mark.
Nguyen Van Dung quickly restored Vietnam’s lead, but after Mohamed al-Akberi again pulled the UAE level with 17 minutes remaining, Luong Xuan Truong was sent off and al-Hashmi converted the resulting penalty as Abdullah Misfir’s side secured top spot after fellow quarter-finalists Jordan shared a goalless draw with Australia.
Needing to win to guarantee progress at the top of Group D, and only a draw to secure a place in the last eight, the UAE were forced onto the backfoot from the first whistle by already-eliminated Vietnam.
And Misfir’s UAE side were dealt a blow inside the first 10 minutes as captain Ahmed Barman was forced off with an injury and replaced in midfield by Mohamed Surour.
There was further bad news for Misfir as Salim Ali, who had taken the armband from Barman, followed his team-mate down the tunnel after also succumbing to injury in the 21st minute.
And the miserable start for the UAE was made worse just three minutes later as substitute Surour used an arm to block Pham Duc Huy’s cross and Cong Phuong drilled the resulting penalty down the middle as goalkeeper Mohammed Busanda dived to his right.
Tran Huu Dong Trieu then shot straight at Busanda from the edge of the area before the UAE, who were playing with 10 men at the time,  were incredibly forced into a third first-half change as Saif Rashid suffered an ankle injury and was replaced by Khalfan Mubarak 11 minutes before half-time.
The UAE were finally able to settle in the closing stages of the first half, although Vietnam were still thoroughly deserving of their advantage.
But after an even start to the second half, the UAE were handed an equaliser four minutes after the hour mark as Hoang Lam headed al-Akberi’s cross into his own net despite rising unchallenged on the edge of the six yard area.
The UAE, though, were on level terms for just four minutes as Van Dung exchanged passes with Cong Phuong on the edge of the penalty area, and after skipping past the challenge of Surour, beat Busanda with a deflected strike.
But just five minutes later the UAE again drew level as al-Akberi’s attempted cross into the penalty area looped over Pham Van Tien and dropped into the net via a deflection off the foot of the far post.
Then with 12 minutes remaining al-Hashmi’s penalty put the UAE ahead for the first time after Xuan Truong had been sent-off for blocking Abdalla Ghanim’s goal-bound header with his hands.
And Vietnam finished the game with 10 men as Nguyen Nam Anh picked up a second yellow card inside the final 10 minutes.