The result means the Young Lions finish top of Group D. On Wednesday night they will play Italy, captained by Cesare Casadei, in the round of 16.

Vale and Humphreys started for England and completed the 90 minutes, while Sharman-Lowe came off the bench at half-time for his first action of the tournament.

Captain Vale forced the Iraqi keeper Hussein Hasan into a good save before the break after cutting inside onto his left foot. The keeper then denied Liam Delap from the penalty spot in first-half injury time.

After Vale set up a good chance for Alfie Devine, who headed over, Iraq finished the stronger. It needed a superb save from Sharman-Lowe to deny Youssef Amyn with a quarter-hour remaining, the Iraq striker having raced through one on one.

Attention now switches to the last-16 clash against Italy on Wednesday.