sentences:  At the end of the group stage, the top three teams from each group (a total of 12 teams) advanced to the Elite Stage, while the bottom three in each group were demoted to the lower division.In the Elite Stage, the 12 teams were split into four groups of three, with teams playing home and away against each team in their group respectively.The top team in each of the four groups moved on to the two-legged semi-finals which determined who played for the championship game; a single match held in Baghdad.