AFC - Hosts Iran fought back from conceding an early goal for the second time in the 2012 AFC U-16 Championship on Monday, recording a 4-1 victory over a Yemen side left counting the cost of having a player sent off in first-half stoppage-time.

Mohammed Al Dahi put Yemen 1-0 up with just three minutes at the PAS Stadium played but after defender Alawi Fadaaq was red-carded for a violent tackle in first-half stoppage-time Iran made the most of their extra-man early in the second-half through Ali Rigi's equaliser.

Free-kicks from Saeid Ezatolahi (60th) and Sasan Jafari (65th) put Iran firmly in the driving seat and after Iran twice hit the woodwork substitute Reza Karmollachaab scored number four with eight minute remaining to seal the win that guarantees Iran's place in the quarter-finals.

Iran showed two changes from the side that defeated Laos 3-1 in their tournament curtain raiser with Danial Kazemni replacing Seyedsajjad Seyed in goal and Rigi spearheading the attack in place of Reza Karmollachaab while Yemen coach Amin Al Suanini brought in Mahdi Majfan at the expense of striker Abdulrahman Al Kumaim alluding to what might be a more defensive strategy against the tournament hosts.

But it was Yemen's attack that had the early impact with Mohammed Al Dahi, scorer of the 79th minute penalty that earned Yemen a share of the spoils against Kuwait, shrugging of the attention of two Iran defenders to fire a low angled drive past Kazemni in the third minute as the hosts conceded an early goal for the second time in the tournament following their second-minute setback in the opener against Laos.

Iran were asking questions of the Yemen as they sought to get back in to the game but the Yemeni defence was holding strong with half-time approaching.

But Iran were handed the numerical advantage for the second-half when Alawi Fadaaq was red carded for a studs up challenge on Mohammadreza Bazaj in first-half stoppage time.

It was an over-exuberant and certainly unnecessary action from the Yemeni defender and Iran's extra-man advantage told eight minutes after the restart when Rigi latched onto a defence splitting pass and lifted the ball coolly over Yemen keeper Abdulwahib Ebrahim for a deserved equaliser.

Five minutes later Rigi's neat pass fashioned an opportunity for Amirmohammad Mazloum, who displayed some nimble footwork to before unleashing a powerful shot that was well saved by Ebrahim.

Iran got the lead their pressure deserved on the hour-mark when Saeid Ezatolahi's free-kick deflected past a helpless Ebrahim before the hosts extended their advantage five minutes later when another free-kick, this time from Sasan Jafari found its way through a forest of players in a crowded area and straight into the back of the net.

Substitute Karmollachaab, who replaced Rigi in the 70th minute, made it 4-1 for Iran in the 82nd minute to cap a deserved victory for the home side.

Despite the defeat Yemen are still in with a chance of joining Iran in the last eight but they will need to beat Laos and hope that the host nation does the same in their final match against Kuwait.

Group A reaches its climax on Wednesday when Iran take on Kuwait at PAS Stadium while Yemen face Laos over at the neighbouring Rah Ahan Stadium with both games kicking-off at 1700 Tehran time.