Ali Mabkhout scored the Asian Cup's fastest recorded goal after just 14 seconds on Thursday as the UAE reached the quarter-finals alongside three-time winners Iran. Mabkhout pounced just moments after the kick-off against Bahrain in the quickest strike recorded in the event's 61-year history, to set his team on the way to a 2-1 win.
And Iran's esteemed coach Carlos Queiroz was left purring at Sardar Azmoun's "brilliant" winner in the 1-0 victory over Qatar, comparing him to the best strikers he has worked with.
But beleaguered Jordan boss Ray Wilkins sought solace in his mother's love on a chaotic day off the pitch marked by fresh recriminations over a bungled dope test which robbed the Englishman of a key player.
High-flying Australia, still missing captain Mile Jedinak through injury, suffered another setback with the news that Aston Villa defender Chris Herd is out of the tournament with an Achilles problem.
UAE grabbed the headlines, however, with striker Mabkhout sparking his side to a victory over Bahrain which kept them on top of Group C on goal difference. It was his third goal of the Asian Cup after netting a brace in the 4-1 victory over Gulf Cup champions Qatar at the weekend, making him the competition's top scorer. However, UAE needed an own goal from Bahrain captain Mohamed Hasan to take the points.
Not at their best, Iran did enough to scrape past Qatar 1-0 to also make it two wins out of two, Azmoun striking seven minutes into the second half with a likely contender for goal of the tournament.
"It was a brilliant goal," gushed Iran coach Carlos Queiroz, charged with ending a 39-year title drought. "It was a special movement of the centre-forward, a great turn at the level of some of the best centre-forwards I have worked with in my life."
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