Iraq beats Qatar to get last Asian spot in Olympic soccer

DOHA, Qatar (AP) Iraq pipped Qatar to the last Olympic qualifying place for Asian nations at the Rio de Janeiro Games after a 2-1 win on Friday in a third-place playoff match at the Asian Under-23 Championship in Doha.

The Iraqis join South Korea and Japan - who play in Saturday's final - as Asia's three teams in the 16-nation tournament lineup in Brazil.

Qatar hoped to take the Olympics berth as a key stage in its players' development for the 2022 World Cup it will host, and was just minutes from victory.

In the 86th minute, Mohannad Abdul-Raheem scored for Iraq to level a 27th-minute goal for Qatar by Ahmed Alaa.

Iraq won it in the 109th through a headed goal by Ayman Hussein.