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Fastest goal in Asian Cup gives UAE 2nd straight win

Xinhua, January 15, 2015 Adjust font size:

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) defeated Bahrain 2-1 in the Asian Cup here Thursday, grabbing their second victory out of two games at the AFC Asian Cup group C and also booked a place in quarterfinals.

It was Ali Mabkhout who opened the scoring in just 14 seconds into the match, the fastest goal of the Asian tournament, after he received an accurate long pass from the "Gulf Messi" Omar Abdularahman.

Ahmed Khalil almost expanded UAE's lead after a couple of short passes sent the ball in Bahrain's box in the 16th minute, but his powerful strike was denied by the left post.

Jaycee Okwunwanne equalized the score 10 minutes later as Okwunwanne's header went through UAE's keeper Majed Naser and found the net.

UAE had more ball possession but Bahrain almost scored first at the second half with Abdulwahab Al Malood's shot went wide.

Bahrain's defender Mohamed Hasan headed an own goal in the 74th minute, rendering UAE the game-decider and also a quarter spot. His powerful header flew into the net without seeing any reaction from Bahrain's keeper Sayed Abbas.

Two straight defeats dismissed Bahrain from the Asian Cup's knockout stage. The gulf team has never kept a clean sheet in the Asian Cup since a 0-0 draw with Kuwait in their tournament debut in 1988 with 17 games being played. Endi