Iran–Iraq football rivalry

Iran–Iraq rivalry
Other names Iran vs Iraq
Locale Asia
Teams  Iran
 Iraq
First meeting 1 June 1962
(54 years ago)
Latest meeting Iran 3–3 Iraq
2015 AFC Asian Cup
(23 January 2015)
Statistics
Meetings total 25
Most wins Iran (14)
Top scorer Iran Ali Daei (4)
Largest victory Iran 4–0 Iraq
1964 Olympic qualification
(2 January 1964)

The Iran and Iraq national football teams are sporting rivals[1][2][3] who have played each other since 1962.

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 the quarter-final of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup where Iraq knocked Iran out on penalties. Iran were knocked out at the quarter-final stage for the third time in a row, whereas Iraq reached the semi-final for the second time in the past three editions of the tournament.

Origins

The rivalry is not such a football-inspired ill-feeling between the two, but more of geography, religion and history.[1] Iran and Iraq are neighbouring countries, sharing a long history. In contemporary era, especially during the reign of Saddam Hussein, the two countries had bad relations and fought the Iran–Iraq War for 8 years.[2][3]

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

Matches

Source:[5][6]
# 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) Iran Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran
2 3 June 1962 Friendly Iran 
1-2
  Iraq Kouzehkanani Ismail  47'; Hamid  60' Iran Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran
3 12 December 1963 1964 Olympic qualification[lower-alpha 1] Iran 
4-0
  Iraq Shirzadegan ; Arab ; Iran Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran
4 2 January 1964 1964 Olympic qualification[lower-alpha 1] Iraq 
0-0
  Iran Iraq Baghdad Stadium, Baghdad
5 7 March 1969 1969 Friendship Cup Iran 
2-1
  Iraq Ghelichkhani ; Eftekhari Dhiab  16' Iran Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran
6 9 May 1972 1972 Asian Cup Iran 
3-0
  Iraq Kalani  34', 70', 78' Thailand National Stadium, Bangkok
7 13 September 1974 1974 Asian Games Iran 
1-0
  Iraq Roshan Iran Azadi Stadium, Tehran
8 24 August 1975 1976 Olympic qualification[lower-alpha 1] Iran 
1-1
  Iraq Iran Azadi Stadium, Tehran
9 4 June 1976 1976 Asian Cup Iran 
2-0
  Iraq Nouraei  45'; Roshan  58' Iran Azadi Stadium, Tehran
10 5 November 1989 1989 Peace and Friendship Cup Iran 
0-0
  Iraq Kuwait Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium, Kuwait City
11 22 October 1993 1994 World Cup qualification Iran 
1-2
  Iraq Daei  21' Radhi  20'; Kadhim  37' Qatar Khalifa Stadium, Doha
12 5 December 1996 1996 Asian Cup Iran 
1-2
  Iraq Daei  90' (pen) Fawzi  37'; Sabbar  67' United Arab Emirates Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
13 18 October 2000 2000 Asian Cup Iran 
1-0
  Iraq Daei  77' Lebanon Saida Stadium, Sidon
14 7 September 2001 2002 World Cup qualification Iraq 
1-2
  Iran Emad Reza  20' Karimi  29'; Daei  83' Iraq Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad
15 12 October 2001 2002 World Cup qualification Iran 
2-1
  Iraq Mahdavikia  27'; Karimi  70' Chatir  51' Iran Azadi Stadium, Tehran
16 5 September 2002 2002 WAFF Championship Iraq 
0-0 (a.e.t.)[lower-alpha 2]
  Iran Syria Abbasiyyin Stadium, Damascus
17 13 August 2003 2003 LG Cup Iran 
0-1
  Iraq Swadi  52' Iran Azadi Stadium, Tehran
18 23 June 2004 2004 WAFF Championship Iran 
2-1
  Iraq Nekounam  4'; Borhani  54' Iran Azadi Stadium, Tehran
19 4 October 2006 2006 LG Cup Iran 
2-0
  Iraq Rezaei  25'; Rajabzadeh  70' Jordan International Stadium, Amman
20 16 June 2007 2007 WAFF Championship[lower-alpha 3] Iran 
0-0
 Iraq Jordan International Stadium, Amman
21 24 June 2007 2007 WAFF Championship[lower-alpha 3] Iran 
2-1
  Iraq Badamaki  9'; Beikzadeh  21' Sadir  86' (pen) Jordan International Stadium, Amman
22 1 October 2010 2010 WAFF Championship Iran 
2-1
  Iraq Hosseini  57'; Gholami  82' Karim  69' Jordan King Abdullah Stadium, Amman
23 11 January 2011 2011 Asian Cup Iraq 
1-2
  Iran Mahmoud  13' Rezaei  42'; Mobali  84' Qatar Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium, Doha
24 4 January 2015 Friendly Iraq 
0-1
  Iran Azmoun  57' Australia Wollongong Showground, New South Wales
25 23 January 2015 2015 AFC Asian Cup Iran 
3-3 (a.e.t.)[lower-alpha 2]
  Iraq Azmoun  24'; Pouraliganji  103'; Ghoochannejhad  119' Yasin  56'; Mahmoud  93'; Ismail  116' Australia Canberra Stadium, Canberra
  1. 1 2 3 Not a full FIFA international
  2. 1 2 Iraq won on penalties.
  3. 1 2 Iran competed in the tournament with its B team squad.

Statistics

Matches held in Iran 10
Matches held in neutral venue 13
Matches held in Iraq2
Total matches25

Top scorers

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

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Duerden, John. "Asia awaits neighbourly rivalry". ESPN. Retrieved November 22, 2014.
  2. 1 2 Montague, James (January 13, 2011). "Pitch Warfare: Iran face Iraq in soccer grudge match". CNN. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 "Iran-Iraq classic rivalry". Iran Daily (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. ↑ Panahi, Majeed (7 August 2014). "Iran - International Matches". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
  6. ↑ Courtney, Barrie (21 January 2011). "Iraq - List of International Matches". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
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