FATORDA: Oman edged closer to the last eight of the AFC U-16 Championship India 2016 after securing a 0-0 draw with Korea Republic in Group C, at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, while Malaysia claimed 1-1 draw against Iraq on Monday.
Yousuf Al Malki struck the woodwork early on as two-time champions Oman had the better of a goalless opening 45 minutes.
The East Asians put in an improved performance in a second half of few chances with the goalkeepers rarely tested as Oman returned to the top of the standings on goal difference while the 2014 runners-up picked up their first point of the continental campaign.
Oman will now advance as Group C winners if they avoid defeat against second-placed Iraq on Thursday while Korea Republic must beat Malaysia and hope the group’s other clash does not end level if they are to have any chance of progression.
The East Asians were enjoying more of the possession but Oman had another chance on 58 minutes as Naji Al Gheilani broke forward before seeing his effort from inside the left side of the penalty area blocked by Park Ji-min.
Midway through the half Thamir Al Zaabi cut inside from the left and fired narrowly over as the tie remained firmly in the balance.
But as the game moved towards the final 20 minutes neither side looked like breaking the deadlock with a draw being enough to ensure both went into their final group outings with a fighting chance of reaching the knockout phase.
Park Jeong-in had the final chance of an uneventful encounter when he curled the wrong side of Al Sheyadi’s right post in added time to mean Group C will go to the wire.
Earlier, Aliff Haiqal’s stunning late equaliser saw Malaysia claim a 1-1 draw against Iraq.
Malaysia struggled to create chances in the second period but Haiqal’s blistering strike with five minutes remaining made Iraq pay for their missed opportunities as the Southeast Asians gave themselves a fighting chance of reaching the last eight.
Iraq had the better of the opening exchanges and came close on 12 minutes when Mohammed was afforded acres of space in the centre of the Malaysia half, shifted the ball onto his left foot and fired narrowly wide from fully 35 yards.
The West Asians threatened the Malaysia goal once more on 26 minutes as Mohammed Dawood got on the end of Ridha’s lob over the top, but the forward was off target with his first-time attempt from inside the penalty area.
Muhammad Nizarruddin’s shot from distance just before the half hour was then parried out by Iraq goalkeeper Ali Ibadi to Alif Safwan, who manoeuvred his way into a shooting position only to direct his tame effort straight at the custodian.
But Iraq assumed control again soon after as Dawood headed Mohammed’s pinpoint cross from the left just inches wide, before Ridha did open the scoring three minutes before the interval.
Mohammed was again involved with his deep cross being chested back into the path of Ridha by Ahmed Sartip and the frontman made no mistake by firing low past Firdaus Imran from just inside the box.
The dangerous Mohammed’s downward header shortly after the restart then bounced up and onto the top of the crossbar as Iraq sought to give themselves breathing space.
Chitheer’s side were awarded a penalty just before the hour after Imran upended Ridha following a corner from the right, but Mohammed was unable to net his third spot kick in two games as the Malaysia number one made amends by blocking to his right.
Always at the centre of the action, Mohammed delivered another fine ball, this time from the right, into the box with 18 minutes remaining but the outstretched Dawood and substitute Alaa Adnan failed to get on the end of it.
Iraq again should have put the game to bed with 10 minutes remaining but Adnan’s tame shot was stopped by Imran after he was teed up by Dawood.
And Malaysia then equalised with five minutes left on the clock as Haiqal rocketed his right-footed effort into the top left corner from 20 yards to secure a share of the spoils.
