Goals from Younis Mahmoud and Ahmed Yasin led Iraq into the quarter-finals and a meeting with arch-rivals Iran, after a 2–0 victory against Palestine at Canberra Stadium. Mahmoud's first goal in the tournament Down Under came on 48 minutes and was his seventh in AFC Asian Cup competitions, meaning he has now scored in four consecutive continental championships since he first appeared at the 2004 edition. Mahmoud's could have had a second just before the hour mark, too, but Palestine's back-up goalkeeper Tawfiq Ali, who put on an impressive show throughout in the absence of the injured Ramzi Saleh, saved the forward's spot-kick.