UPDATE 2-Soccer-Iraq draw with Thais in rainy Asian Cup opener

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By Julian Linden

BANGKOK, July 7 (Reuters) - Striker Younes Khalef scored the equaliser to earn Iraq a 1-1 draw with Group A hosts Thailand in the opening match of the Asian Cup on Saturday.

Khalef headed the ball into the back of the net to secure the draw and spoil Thailand's planned celebrations on a wet and miserable night in Bangkok.

"There was a lot of rain... a lot of water in the stadium," Iraq's Portuguese coach Jorvan Vieira told reporters. "My team is a good tactical team but we cannot play in those conditions."

Khalef's goal combined with Thailand's fickle weather to ruin the hosts' hopes of a better start.

The expansive Rajamangala stadium was less than half full after the city was drenched by a tropical storm that caused flash flooding in the surrounding suburbs and kept thousands of potential spectators away.

The pitch had been badly soaked, preventing both teams from developing any fluency and they resorted to long-range shots on goal to try and break the deadlock in the second half.

"It was difficult, the state of the pitch made it hard to control the ball and we lost it in midfield a lot," Charnwit Polcheewin said.