Iraq thumps Palestine in landmark Baghdad tie
July 14, 2009
Iraq won its first international football match here since the US-led invasion of 2003 on Monday, beating the Palestinian national football team 4-0 in a friendly.
Hawar Mullah Mohammed opened the scoring for the hosts in the 25th minute sending the more than 50,000-strong crowd who braved security fears to turn out at the central Al-Shaab stadium into delirium.
Karrar Jasim added a second goal in the 58th minute, followed by Ala Abdel Zahra in the 72nd. Emad Mohammed completed the scoring with a penalty in the 90th minute.
The 4-0 scoreline followed a 3-0 victory by Iraq over Palestine on Friday in the northern city of Arbil in the autonomous Kurdistan region, Iraq’s first home international since 2003.
The Asian Football Confederation and FIFA, football’s world governing body, both gave their approval for the games.
The Iraqi national team won the Asian Cup in 2007 but last month, under new veteran Serbian coach Bora Milutinovic, they crashed out of the Confederations Cup in South Africa without scoring a single goal.
The Palestinian team is now set to head to China for a friendly on July 18.
Palestine has been affiliated to FIFA since 1998, even though the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip do not have statehood. Games are broadcast to the Arab world by the Saudi-owned ART television network.
BAGHDAD (AFP)
Tags: al shaab, Ala Abdel Zahra, arbil, art television, asian cup, asian football confederation, baghdad, Bora, central al, China, coach bora milutinovic, CONCACAF Champions' Cup, emad mohammed, FIFA, fifa football, gaza strip, international football, Iraq, kurdistan region, mohammed, mullah mohammed, national football team, occupied west bank, Palestine, security fears, South Africa, statehood, thumps, world governing bodyRelated posts
Palestinian football team to play in Iraq
July 6, 2009
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AFP) – The Palestinian national football team will travel to Iraq this week for a friendly, the first international match staged in the war-torn country since 2003, officials said on Sunday.
“The match comes in a political and sports context, and is an expression of the Palestinian commitment to breaking the siege of Iraq and to celebrating with Iraqis the departure of American forces from Iraqi cities,” Jibril Rajub, head of the Palestinian football association told reporters in Ramallah.
The two teams will meet on Friday in the northern city of Arbil in the autonomous Kurdish region of Iraq and hope to schedule a second match in Baghdad, Rajub said.
The Asian Football Confederation and FIFA, football’s world governing body, have given their approval for the Arbil match, according to Najih Hmud, vice-president of the Iraqi football association.
“This match is the first step towards ending the ban imposed by FIFA on international matches in Iraq because of the situation our country was going through.”
The Iraqi national team won the Asian Cup in 2007 but last month, under new Serbian coach Bora Milutinovic, they crashed out of the Confederations Cup in South Africa without scoring a single goal.
After visiting Iraq the Palestinian team will head to China for a friendly on July 18.
Rajub said the Palestinian side’s new coach Musa Bazaz, 52, a French citizen of Algerian descent, would arrive in the West Bank on Monday.
Rajub, who gained a reputation for toughness as chief of the Palestinian Authority’s feared preventive security agency, has been actively promoting football since becoming federation head in May 2008.
Last year under his leadership the federation financed the construction of a stadium in the West Bank town of Al-Ram outside Jerusalem and the team played its first ever home match against Jordan in October.
Palestine has been affiliated to FIFA since 1998, even though the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip do not have statehood. Games are broadcast to the Arab world by the Saudi-owned ART television network.
Tags: Algerian, arbil, asian cup, asian football confederation, baghdad, bazaz, Bora, coach bora milutinovic, federation head, FIFA, fifa football, french citizen, gaza strip, home match, Iraq, iraqi cities, iraqi football association, jerusalem, jibril, jordan, kurdish region, national football team, occupied west bank, Palestine, palestinian authority, palestinian commitment, palestinian side, South Africa, world governing bodyRelated posts
Confederations Cup preview: Spain – New Zealand
June 17, 2009
Spain were Confederations Cup favorites ahead of their match with New Zealand, but pressure even increased ahead of their second game, against Iraq this Wednesday.
Following their 5-0 trashing of New Zealand, Spain know that another win would leave them practically qualified. In fact, ‘la Furia Roja’ could equal the existing world record of most consecutive wins, 14. The record is currently held by Australia, Brazil and France.
Iraq were fortunate to draw the tournament opener with hosts South Africa, but this time things might just prove too difficult for the Asian champions. It is expected that coach Bora Milutinovic picks a defensive tactic to keep the experienced Spanish strikers as far away from their goal as possible.
The senior sides of these two countries never met before, although the Iraqi youth team actually beat their Spanish rivals 2-0 at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in 1989.
The match is to be played in the city of Bloemfontein en starts at 4pm local time.
Tags: Australia, Bloemfontein, Bora, brazil, coach bora milutinovic, confederations cup, cup preview, defensive tactic, FIFA, fifa under 20 world cup, France, furia roja, hosts, Iraq, la furia, LA Liga, local time, match, milutinovic, New Zealand, second game, South Africa, Spain, strikers, trashing, world recordRelated posts
Iraq stifle South Africa in Confed Cup opener
June 15, 2009
JOHANNESBURG (AFP) – The 2009 Confederations Cup opened with a goalless stalemate between hosts South Africa and Asian champions Iraq at Ellis Park here on Sunday.
With Group A favourites Spain, in action against minnows New Zealand later on Sunday, expected to steamroll into the semi-finals, the point apiece keeps both teams in the running to join the Euro 2008 winners as group runners-up.
South Africa coach Joel Santana said his Bafana Bafana side had been undone by a combination of missed chances and Iraq’s defensive strategy.
“We had 17 shots on goal, compared to three from Iraq,” the Brazilian remarked.
“After a nervy start we controlled all aspects of the game and could have scored three or four goals. I was surprised at the way they held back in defence.
“Do you know how many minutes we played football in the first half? 32! It wasn’t us stopping the match all the time. They tried to paralyse the game.
“This wasn’t the result we wanted but I don’t think we played badly.”
Iraq’s experienced coach Bora Milutinovic defended his tactics.
“To some the game may have been boring. For me it was one of the highlights of my career, and now we have a point and a chance to qualify for the semi-finals.”
Santana gave a starting place to the nation’s favourite footballer, Teko Modise, who sat out the warm-up win over Poland, with Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar, who had limped off injured in that match, on the bench.
Milutinovic, opting for a five-man backline, had the luxury of fielding a full-strength side captained by striker Younis Mahmoud with the artful Nashat Akram in midfield.
In a cagey first half, one of the rare bright moments came early on when Russia-based midfielder MacBeth Sibaya forced Iraq goalkeeper Mohammed Kassid into an athletic dive to keep out his angled 20-metre attempt from the right.
That effort came minutes after Kassid had safely scooped up Bernard Parker’s shot from outside the box.
Akram, who will be the first Iraqi to play in western Europe after signing for Steve McClaren’s Dutch side FC Twente, had a frustrating time, sending one free-kick over Itumeleng Khune’s bar and another into the South African wall.
South Africa striker Thembinkosi Fanteni picked up a yellow card from Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda after an over-zealous tackle on Iraqi midfielder Karrar Jasim in the opening minutes.
With a quiet or perhaps not-so-quiet word from Santana ringing in their ears, South Africa emerged for the second half with much more urgency, encouraging the home crowd of 48,837 or so which included South Africa President Jacob Zuma.
Dominating play, the hosts had a clear chance in the 69th minute only for Fanteni’s miscued shot to edge wide of Kassid’s right-hand post, the Maccabi Haifa striker banging his head with his fist in frustration.
After Akram received the second booking of the encounter Fanteni was at the centre of the action again, rising above the Iraqi defence to head Siboniso Gaxa’s corner just over the crossbar.
Katlego Mashego then came on for Fanteni and the Orlando Pirates striker quickly found himself with only Kassid to beat in the box, but the Iraqi keeper did well to snuff out the danger.
With five minutes left on the clock, Parker will never know how he failed to tap the ball home when faced with an open goal.
Santana introduced Pienaar in a last-ditch effort to grab the points but to no avail.
South Africa are next up against New Zealand on Wednesday with Iraq facing the Spaniards.
Tags: 17 shots, 2009 confederations cup, backline, bafana bafana, Bernard Parker, Bora, coach bora milutinovic, ellis park, euro 2008, footballer, Iraq, jacob zuma, Joel Santana, johannesburg, Jorge Larrionda, minnows, modise, Mohammed Kassid, nashat akram, New Zealand, Parker, Poland, russia, semi finals, shots on goal, South Africa, south africa coach, stalemate, Steve McClaren, steven pienaar, teko, WC Qualifying South-Africa, western Europe, younis mahmoudRelated posts
Iraq held in Confederations Cup warm-up
June 10, 2009
CAPE TOWN (AFP) – Iraq warmed up for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup with a 1-1 draw against Poland in a friendly international match here on Tuesday.
In their final match before tackling hosts South Africa in the tournament opener this Sunday, coach Bora Milutinovic’s side were disappointed after Mahdi Kareem’s second-half strike was cancelled out by Roger Guerreiro.
A small stadium in the heart of the Cape Flats in the south-west city was an odd setting for a match between two nations with few links to South Africa, and an attritional first half provided few chances.
Around 2,000 spectators turned up, with a number of Polish and Iraqi flags fluttering, but they witnessed a quiet opening 45 minutes as neither side could register a shot on target.
Both coaches made many changes at half-time in a bid to try out different combinations and were rewarded with a sprightly start to the second half.
Iraq central midfielder Nashat Akram sent his 30-yard free-kick just wide before the Asian champions made the breakthrough on 54 minutes.
Winger Hawar Mohammed, a constant menace in the second half, chipped a neat cross to the far post where Kareem half volleyed the ball into the net and put Iraq ahead.
While the goal encouraged them with Emad Mohammed shooting just wide moments later after jinking inside from the left, there was a revival from the Poles, who lost 1-0 to South Africa in Johannesburg last Saturday.
A shot from winger Slawomir Peszko was parried into the path of Marek Saganowski, only for the latter to clip wide under close attention from two defenders and Poland drew level after 71 minutes.
Having displayed superb skill on the left, Brazil-born substitute Roger Guerreiro unleashed a vicious shot that was too strong for goalkeeper Noor Sabri.
Both sides sought a winner as time ticked away with Guerreiro coming closest through a deflected shot over the crossbar.
Tags: Bora, brazil, cape flats, cape town, central midfielder, coach bora milutinovic, crossbar, emad mohammed, far post, fifa confederations cup, final match, free kick, guerreiro, hawar mohammed, Iraq, johannesburg, kareem, last saturday, Marek Saganowski, mohammed, nashat akram, noor sabri, Poland, Roger Guerreiro, Slawomir Peszko, South Africa, spectators, target, winger, World CupRelated posts
Milutinovic´s Iraq side to face Poland, Egypt
April 10, 2009
BAGHDAD (AFP) – Asian champions Iraq will face Poland and Egypt in newly-appointed veteran Serbian coach Bora Milutinovic’s first games in charge, an Iraq Football Union (IFU) official said Thursday.
“The Iraq team will meet Poland in a friendly in Cape Town on June 9 as part of our preparations for the Confederations Cup,” IFU deputy chief Najih Humoud told AFP.
“We will also play Egypt, although the date of the match has yet to be finalised.”
Milutinovic, who has led five different countries at five consecutive World Cups, on Wednesday completed a deal to manage Iraq at the Confederations Cup in South Africa this summer and takes up his new post on April 16.
Humoud said Milutinovic’s contract could be extended if Iraq perform well in the tournament.
The experienced Serbian’s appointment came two months after Brazilian Jorvan Vieira was sacked as coach just four months into his second spell in charge for failing to win a game at the Gulf Cup.
Iraq, who will not play in the 2010 World Cup finals after failing to qualify, made it to the Confederations Cup by winning the Asian Cup in 2007, when the side was led by Vieira.
Milutinovic led World Cup hosts Mexico in 1986, Costa Rica in 1990, the United States in 1994, Nigeria in 1998, and China in 2002.
Egypt, as reigning African champions, will also play at the Confederations Cup, which will be played between June 14-28.
Iraq face hosts South Africa, European champions Spain, and New Zealand in the competition, regarded as a tune-up event ahead of the 2010 World Cup that will also be played in South Africa.
Italy, Brazil, and the United States will complete the Confederations Cup line-up.
Tags: african champions, asian cup, baghdad, Bora, brazil, cape town, coach bora milutinovic, confederations cup, Costa Rica, deputy chief, Egypt, european champions, football union, four months, gulf cup, ifu, Iraq, Italy, june 14, match, Mexico, New Zealand, nigeria, Poland, South Africa, Spain, The Gulf, tune up, United States, veteran, World Cup, world cup finals, world cupsRelated posts
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