2019 AFC Asian Cup Group D  Group D of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup took place from 7 to 16 January 2019. The group consisted of Iran, Iraq, Vietnam, and Yemen. The top two teams, Iran and Iraq, along with the third-placed team, Vietnam (as one of the four best third-placed teams), advanced to the round of 16. The group contained two former champions, Iran (3 titles) and Iraq (1 title). Yemen made its debut in the tournament. In the round of 16:  All times listed are GST (). Yemen had the first chance of the game, Ahmed Al-Sarori ran into the penalty area and flashed a seventh minute shot narrowly over the bar. Mehdi Taremi opened Iran’s account in the 12th minute when he converted the rebound after Yemen goalkeeper Saoud Al-Sowadi pushed Sardar Azmoun’s long-range effort back into his path. At 23 minutes, Ashkan Dejagah’s free-kick found the back of the net via a combination of both the woodwork and Al-Sowadi, before Taremi bagged his second of the night by heading home Ramin Rezaeian’s cross moments later. In the second half, after Al-Sowadi had repelled two Azmoun headers, the forward finished from close-range on 53 minutes to further extend Iran’s lead. Azmoun was later denied by Mudir Al-Radaei’s challenge when through on goal, and his shot struck the bar with 14 minutes remaining. Substitute Saman Ghoddos added a fifth from the edge of the area shortly after, while Mehdi Torabi’s drive struck the post in added time. After a slow start to the proceedings, Iraq came closest to breaking the deadlock through Hussein Ali's shot from distance which Đặng Văn Lâm tipped around his left-hand post on 14 minutes. Vietnam took the lead 10 minutes later, Nguyễn Quang Hải’s attempted pass saw defender Ali Faez turn the ball past the onrushing Jalal Hassan and into his own net. Iraq scored the equaliser shortly after the half-hour mark when Đỗ Duy Mạnh’s defensive lapse saw Mohanad Ali surge into the area and fire home past a diving Văn Lâm.