( CNN ) -- Iran coach Afshin Ghotbi hailed his team after qualifying from the toughest group at the Asian Cup in Qatar , becoming the first team to reach the quarterfinals after beating North Korea on Saturday . Iran , seeking a record fourth title but first since 1976 , followed up the opening 2-1 win over defending champions Iraq with a 1-0 victory in Doha thanks to a second-half goal from Karim Ansari Fard to go through with a match to spare . Iraq 's chances of going through were boosted by a last-gasp 1-0 win over the United Arab Emirates in Saturday 's second Group D fixture . The result left Iraq three points behind Iran on three , with North Korea and the U.A.E . on one . `` The qualification of our team , for me , is a fantastic accomplishment , '' Ghotbi , who moved to the U.S. in his teens and learned to coach there , told the Asian Cup website . An ominous sign ahead of the 2022 World Cup ? `` Our group was the 'group of death ' and I still believe it is the most difficult group in the tournament . To achieve this result two games in a row , I 'm very proud of my players . `` Iran is capable of playing much better football . We will show that in the coming games . We will be fitter and more confident and hopefully you 'll see much better performances from our team . '' Ansari Fard , a 20-year-old striker , struck the winner in the 63rd minute from Pejman Nouri 's cross after Iran struggled to break down the well-organized Korean defense . `` Playing North Korea is always difficult . They defend with numbers , they are organized , they are disciplined , they fight , they have pace and they are dangerous on the counter-attack , '' Ghotbi said . Socceroos deny South Koreans . Korea 's best chance came when Hong Yong-jo 's shot shaved the crossbar in time added on , leaving his team needing to beat Iraq in Wednesday 's final round of matches . `` The next match is very critical for our team to go for the knockout stage but we will try our best , '' Korea coach Jo Tong-sop said . `` In terms of the system , we converted to 4-4-2 and we combine attack and defense , and in this way we created new tactics for our team . For the next match , I think we have to again put the emphasis on defense and try to score goals on the counter-attack . '' The U.A.E . seemed set to have earned a second successive goalless draw until an own-goal by defender Walid Abbas in the third minute of time added on gave Iraq a much-needed victory . U.A.E . defender Hamdan Al Kamali headed against the post early on and striker Ahmed Khalil missed from close range , while Iraq hit the woodwork twice just before halftime through Nashat Akram and Qusay Muneer . Khalil smashed a shot against the bar after the hour mark , but the unlucky Abbas decisively turned the ball into his own net in injury-time as he tried to cut out a cross from Iraq captain Younis Mahmoud . `` It was a little bit lucky but at the end of the day we tried our best to force our luck in the game , '' Iraq 's German coach Wolfgang Sidka said . `` We had three strikers up front and I believe that we were rewarded . Sometimes if you have bad luck , you must force your luck to get it back . I believe that today we managed to force our own luck and we did it with a fighting spirit . ''
1 -time champions Iran beat Iraq to reach last eight at Asian Cup . Ghotbi second-half winner puts Iran through ahead of final Group D match . North Korea need to beat defending champions Iraq in Wednesday 's last game . Second -placed United Arab Emirates snatch last-gasp 1 -0 win over United Arab Emirates in last eight 's other game .