Thailand outclassed 4-0 by Iraq in WC qualifier

In the clash between the bottom two sides, who were both without a point after opening three group games in the last-12 Asian qualifying round, it was the Iraqis, who performed far more better than an out-of-sorts Thai side before they ran out as deserved winners at PAS Stadium in the Iranian capital, Tehran.

Such was dominant display produced by the 128th-ranked Iraq that they should have put the result beyond doubt by the end of the first half. Had it not been for some careless finishing, the Gulf country could have gone at least four goals up rather than two ahead at halftime.

Thailand did show slight improvement after the break but their cause was not helped by defender Koravit Namwiset’s dismissal in the 70th minute. The Thais’ situation then went from bad to worse when Prathum Chutong was carried off on a stretcher in a neck brace, leaving his team to play with nine men in the final quarter after they already used all the substitutions.

The Iraqis soon made their numerical advantage count as Mohanad Abdulraheem completed his remarkable day by adding two more goals to his first-half brace to condemn the Thais to a fourth straight defeat.