ABU DHABI — Mehdi Taremi scored twice as Iran crushed Yemen 5-0 in the war-torn country's Asian Cup debut Monday to fire an ominous warning to its title rivals.

Team Melli's dominant performance in Abu Dhabi was in stark contrast to joint-favorites South Korea, who scraped past the Philippines while China profited from a goalkeeping howler to spark a comeback against plucky Kyrgyzstan.

Looking to end a 43-year title drought since last winning Asian football's most coveted prize, Iran ruthlessly dispatched Group D minnow Yemen.

Iran took just 12 minutes to take the lead as Taremi finished clinically from close range after a shot from Sardar Azmoun was spilled by Yemen keeper Saud Alsowadi.

Captain Ashkan Dejagah doubled his side's lead in the 23rd minute with a low free kick which cannoned in off the post and the hapless Alsowadi before Taremi powered home a bullet header moments later.

Sardar Azmoun tapped in a fourth goal seven minutes into the second half, by which time Iran were playing some champagne football, pulling off extravagant flicks and back-heels that left Yemen's players chasing shadows.

When substitute Saman Ghoddos volleyed home Iran's fifth from the edge of the box after 78 minutes the Yemen players looked physically shattered and only the woodwork prevented Mahdi Torabi adding a spectacular sixth in injury time.

After host UAE was held by Bahrain, and Syria was kept to a goalless draw by Palestine, it provided more evidence that the gap has narrowed between Asian teams. — AFP