Ras Al Khaimah: Hosts UAE kept their hopes of a place in the knockout stage of the AFC U-19 Championship 2012 on Monday after Yousif Saeed struck seven minutes from time to earn a 1-1 draw with Iran.

Alireza Jahan Bakhsh’s 70th minute goal put the Iranians on course for a second successive win which would have seen them through to the quarter-finals but Saeed had other ideas and his 83rd minute header ensured that the spoils were shared at the Emirates Club Stadium.

The UAE’s second 1-1 draw, following their tie with Kuwait, put them third in the Group A standings with two points, two less than leaders Iran and one less then second-place Japan, who the UAE will face in a must-win match on Wednesday.

Iran showed their stacking intent early on with Sardar Azmoun’s powerful header going a whisker above the bar before Azmoun again came close a few minutes later with a long-range effort that was also went high.

The UAE’s first chance fell to Yousef Ahmed in the 23rd minute but he was unable to direct Ahmad Barman’s cross on target before Faraj Juma missed a golden opportunity to test Iran goalkeeper Mohammad Naseri after scuffing his shot following a superb cross from Saeed.

The hosts played with more purpose in the second-half but still they lacked penetration in the final third and when they did carve out a clear goal-scoring opportunity in the 62nd minute they were thwarted by Iran defender Yousef Vakia, who bravely blocked Said Rashid’s goal-bound shot.

Vakia was involved at the other end of the pitch when Iran took the lead eight minutes later when he headed Mohammed Ali Faramarzi’s long throw towards Roozbeh Cheshmi who in turn nodded the ball on for Bakhsh to beat UAE keeper Ahmad Shambih with aplomb.

As it stood the UAE were facing an early exit from the tournament before Saeed’s timely intervention.

Livewire right-winger Rashid evaded Ali Faramarzi and whipped in an inviting cross for Saeed to score a deserved equaliser to keep the hosts’ hopes of a quarter-final place alive.