AFC - Saudi Arabia qualified for the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship as Group C winners after a dramatic finale to the top-of-the-table clash saw them defeat hosts Iran on Tuesday.

Iran went into the match needing just a point to secure top spot and a place in next year’s continental finals ahead of a Saudi Arabian side that had no alternative but to defeat the hosts, who had scored 14 times without conceding in their previous three victories.

Neither side could take the initiative at the Azadi Stadium until the 70th minute when winger Abdulfattah Asiri stunned the home fans with the opening goal for the Saudis, who doubled their advantage 11 minutes later through Asiri’s Al Ittihad team-mate Abdulrahman Al Ghamdi, 67th minute substitute for forward Saleh Al Shehri.

Iran were handed a lifeline when another Saudi Arabian substitute, defender Saeed Awadh Al Yami, put the ball into his own net just three minutes after the Gulf kingdom had gone 2-0 up.

But the Group C hosts couldn’t find the goal they needed in the remaining six minutes and the additional five minutes of stoppage time as Saudi Arabia knocked Iran off the top spot in the final match.

Ten group winners and five best second-placed teams from all groups will join hosts Qatar at the AFC U-23 Championship 2016, with January’s 16-team competition also serving as Asia’s qualifying tournament for the Olympic Games in Rio.

The final group winner and the complete line up of best second-place finishers will only be confirmed after the conclusion of Group B of the qualifiers, which features Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan as well as hosts Pakistan.

Group B was scheduled to take place in Lahore at Lahore’s Punjab Stadium from March 23 to 31 has been postponed due to security concerns following the recent troubles in the Youhanabad area of the city.

A decision on an alternative venue and schedule for Group B will be announced in due course.