Iran–Iraq football rivalry

The Iran and Iraq national football teams are sporting rivals since 1962.[1][2][3]

Iran–Iraq rivalry
Other namesIran vs Iraq
LocationAsia (AFC)
Teams Iran
 Iraq
First meeting1 June 1962
(62 years ago)
Latest meetingIran 1–0 Iraq
2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
(27 January 2022)
Statistics
Meetings total31
Most winsIran (18)
Top scorerIran Ali Daei (4)
Largest victoryIran 4–0 Iraq
1964 Olympic qualification
(22 March 1964)

According to The Malay Mail, "Emotions are always high when Iran and Iraq meet on the football pitch".[4]

The most recent match between the two teams was in World Cup qualifier on 27 January 2022 hosted in Iran, where Iran won the game by 1–0.

Origins

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The rivalry is not such a football-inspired ill-feeling between the two, but more of geography and history.[5] Iran and Iraq are neighboring countries, that share a long history. In the contemporary era, especially during the reign of Saddam Hussein, the two countries had bad relations.[2][3]

In 2001, an Iran-Iraq match was not held at a neutral venue for the first time in decades.[3]

Major tournament matches

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1972 AFC Asian Cup

Iran  3–0  Iraq
Kalani   34', 70', 78'
Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Sivapalan Kathiravale (Malaysia)

1976 AFC Asian Cup

Iran  2–0  Iraq
Nouraei   45'
Roshan   58'
Attendance: 50,000

1994 FIFA World Cup qualification

Iraq  2–1  Iran
Radhi   20'
Kadhim   38'
Daei   21'

1996 AFC Asian Cup

Iran  1–2  Iraq
Daei   90' (pen.) Report Fawzi   37'
Sabbar   69'
Attendance: 15,000

2000 AFC Asian Cup

Iran  1–0  Iraq
Daei   77' Report

2002 FIFA World Cup qualification

Iraq  1–2  Iran
Mohammed   20' Report Karimi   30'
Daei   84'
Attendance: 40,000

2002 FIFA World Cup qualification

Iran  2–1  Iraq
Mahdavikia   27'
Karimi   71'
Report Chathir   52'
Attendance: 100,000
Referee: Kim Young-Joo (KOR)

2011 AFC Asian Cup

Iraq  1–2  Iran
Mahmoud   13' Rezaei   42'
Mobali   84'

2015 AFC Asian Cup

Iran  3–3 (a.e.t.)  Iraq
Azmoun   24'
Pouraliganji   103'
Ghoochannejhad   119'
Report Yasin   56'
Mahmoud   93'
Ismail   116' (pen.)
Penalties
Hajsafi  
Pouraliganji  
Nekounam  
Hosseini  
Ghafouri  
Jahanbakhsh  
Teymourian  
Amiri  
6–7   Abdul-Amir
  Salem
  Ismail
  Adnan
  Mahmoud
  Kasim
  Hussein
  Shaker
Attendance: 18,921

2019 AFC Asian Cup

Iran  0–0  Iraq
Report
Attendance: 15,038

2022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Iraq  2–1  Iran
Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)

2022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Iran  1–0  Iraq
Attendance: 0
Referee: Ilgiz Tantashev (Uzbekistan)

2022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Iraq  0–3  Iran

2022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Iran  1–0  Iraq

Matches

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Source:[6][7]
# Date Competition Home team Score Away team Goals (home) Goals (away) Venue
1 1 June 1962 Friendly Iran   1–1   Iraq Kouzehkanani   90' Abbas   47' (pen)   Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran
2 3 June 1962 Friendly Iran   1–2   Iraq Kouzehkanani   Ismail   47'; Hameed   60'   Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran
3 2 January 1964 1964 Olympic qualification[a] Iran   4–0   Iraq Shirzadegan    ; Arab  ;   Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran
4 22 March 1964 Iraq   0–0   Iran   Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad
5 7 March 1969 1969 Friendship Cup Iran   2–1   Iraq Ghelichkhani  ; Eftekhari   Dhiab   16'   Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran
6 9 May 1972 1972 Asian Cup Iran   3–0   Iraq Kalani   34', 70', 78'   National Stadium, Bangkok
7 13 September 1974 1974 Asian Games Iran   1–0   Iraq Roshan   76'   Aryamehr Stadium, Tehran
8 24 August 1975 1976 Olympic qualification[a] Iran   1–0   Iraq Khorshidi   66'   Aryamehr Stadium, Tehran
9 4 June 1976 1976 Asian Cup Iran   2–0   Iraq Nouraei   45'; Roshan   58'   Aryamehr Stadium, Tehran
10 5 November 1989 1989 Peace and Friendship Cup Iran   0–0   Iraq   Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium, Kuwait City
11 22 October 1993 1994 World Cup qualification Iran   1–2   Iraq Daei   21' Radhi   20'; Kadhim   37'   Khalifa Stadium, Doha
12 5 December 1996 1996 Asian Cup Iran   1–2   Iraq Daei   90' (pen) Fawzi   37'; Sabbar   67'   Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
13 18 October 2000 2000 Asian Cup Iran   1–0   Iraq Daei   77'   Saida Stadium, Sidon
14 7 September 2001 2002 World Cup qualification Iraq   1–2   Iran Emad Reza   20' Karimi   29'; Daei   83'   Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad
15 12 October 2001 Iran   2–1   Iraq Mahdavikia   27'; Karimi   70' Chathir   51'   Azadi Stadium, Tehran
16 5 September 2002 2002 WAFF Championship Iraq   0–0 (a.e.t.)[b]   Iran   Abbasiyyin Stadium, Damascus
17 13 August 2003 2003 LG Cup Iran   0–1   Iraq Swadi   52'   Azadi Stadium, Tehran
18 23 June 2004 2004 WAFF Championship Iran   2–1   Iraq Nekounam   4'; Borhani   54' Mnajed   30'   Azadi Stadium, Tehran
19 4 October 2006 2006 LG Cup Iran   2–0   Iraq Rezaei   25'; Rajabzadeh   70'   International Stadium, Amman
20 16 June 2007 2007 WAFF Championship[c] Iran   0–0   Iraq   International Stadium, Amman
21 24 June 2007 Iran   2–1   Iraq Badamaki   9'; Beikzadeh   21' Sadir   86' (pen)   International Stadium, Amman
22 1 October 2010 2010 WAFF Championship Iran   2–1   Iraq Hosseini   57'; Gholami   82' Karim   69'   King Abdullah Stadium, Amman
23 11 January 2011 2011 Asian Cup Iraq   1–2   Iran Mahmoud   13' Rezaei   42'; Mobali   84'   Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium, Doha
24 4 January 2015 Friendly [a] Iraq   0–1   Iran Azmoun   57'   Wollongong Showground, New South Wales
25 23 January 2015 2015 Asian Cup Iran   3–3 (a.e.t.)[b]   Iraq Azmoun   24'; Pouraliganji   103'; Ghoochannejhad   119' Yasin   56'; Mahmoud   93'; Ismail   116' (pen.)   Canberra Stadium, Canberra
26 18 March 2017 Friendly[d] Iran   0–1   Iraq Abdul-Amir   72' (pen.)   Azadi Stadium, Tehran
27 16 January 2019 2019 Asian Cup Iran   0–0   Iraq   Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
28 14 November 2019 2022 World Cup qualification Iraq   2–1   Iran M. Ali   11'; Abbas   90+2' Nourollahi   25'   Amman International Stadium, Amman
29 15 June 2021 Iran   1–0   Iraq Azmoun   35'   Al Muharraq Stadium, Arad
30 7 September 2021 2022 World Cup qualification Iraq   0–3   Iran Jahanbakhsh   3'; Taremi   69'; Gholizadeh   90'   Khalifa International Stadium, Doha
31 27 January 2022 Iran   1–0   Iraq Taremi   48'   Azadi Stadium, Tehran
  1. ^ a b c Not a full FIFA international
  2. ^ a b Iraq won on penalties.
  3. ^ Iran competed in the tournament with its B team squad.
  4. ^ Played behind closed-doors.

Statistics

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Overall

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  Iran 18 wins
  Iraq 6 wins
Draws 7 draws

Top scorers

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Rank Player Goals
1   Ali Daei 4
2   Hamid Shirzadegan 3
  Hossein Kalani 3
  Sardar Azmoun 3
3 Various players 2

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Iran and Iraq set for QF showdown". ESPN.com. 2015-01-22. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
  2. ^ a b Montague, James (January 13, 2011). "Pitch Warfare: Iran face Iraq in soccer grudge match". CNN. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c "Iran-Iraq classic rivalry". Iran Daily. No. 4924. November 5, 2014. p. 11.
  4. ^ Montague, James (January 22, 2015). "Iran vs Iraq: Quarter-final clash reignites decades-old rivalry". The Malay Mail. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  5. ^ Duerden, John. "Asia awaits neighbourly rivalry". ESPN. Retrieved November 22, 2014.
  6. ^ Panahi, Majeed (7 August 2014). "Iran – International Matches". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
  7. ^ Courtney, Barrie (21 January 2011). "Iraq – List of International Matches". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved November 21, 2014.