Iran–Iraq football rivalry

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

The Iran and Iraq national football teams are sporting rivals since 1962.

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

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

The rivalry is not such a football-inspired ill-feeling between the two, but more of geography and history. 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.

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

Major tournament matches

1972 AFC Asian Cup

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

1976 AFC Asian Cup

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

1994 FIFA World Cup qualification

Final round
Iraq 2–1 Iran
Radhi 20'
Kadhim 38'		 Daei 21'
Attendance: 30,000

1996 AFC Asian Cup

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

2000 AFC Asian Cup

Group stage
Iran 1–0 Iraq
Daei 77' Report
Attendance: 8,582

2002 FIFA World Cup qualification

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

2002 FIFA World Cup qualification

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

2011 AFC Asian Cup

Group stage
Iraq 1–2 Iran
Mahmoud 13' Rezaei 42'
Mobali 84'
Attendance: 10,478

2015 AFC Asian Cup

Quarterfinals
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

Second Round
Iraq 2–1 Iran
 Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)
Attendance: 13,752

2022 FIFA World Cup qualification

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

2022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Third Round
Iraq 0–3 Iran
Attendance: 0
Referee: Ma Ning (China PR)

2022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Third Round
Iran 1–0 Iraq

Matches

Source:
# 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 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 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.)  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 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 Iraq  0–1  Iran Azmoun 57' Wollongong Showground, New South Wales
25 23 January 2015 2015 Asian Cup Iran  3–3 (a.e.t.)  Iraq Azmoun 24'; Pouraliganji 103'; Ghoochannejhad 119' Yasin 56'; Mahmoud 93'; Ismail 116' (pen.) Canberra Stadium, Canberra
26 18 March 2017 Friendly 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

Overall

Iran 18 wins
Iraq 6 wins
Draws 7 draws

Top scorers

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

See also

References

  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.