Iran–Iraq rivalry
Other names |
Iran vs Iraq |
Locale |
Asia |
Teams |
Iran
Iraq |
First meeting |
1 June 1962
(62 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 |
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]
Major tournament matches
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) |
Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran |
2 |
3 June 1962 |
Friendly |
Iran |
1-2
|
Iraq |
Kouzehkanani |
Ismail 47'; Hamid 60' |
Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran |
3 |
12 December 1963 |
1964 Olympic qualification[lower-alpha 1] |
Iran |
4-0
|
Iraq |
Shirzadegan ; Arab ; |
|
Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran |
4 |
2 January 1964 |
1964 Olympic qualification[lower-alpha 1] |
Iraq |
0-0
|
Iran |
|
|
Baghdad 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 |
|
Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
8 |
24 August 1975 |
1976 Olympic qualification[lower-alpha 1] |
Iran |
1-1
|
Iraq |
|
|
Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
9 |
4 June 1976 |
1976 Asian Cup |
Iran |
2-0
|
Iraq |
Nouraei 45'; Roshan 58' |
|
Azadi 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 |
2002 World Cup qualification |
Iran |
2-1
|
Iraq |
Mahdavikia 27'; Karimi 70' |
Chatir 51' |
Azadi Stadium, Tehran |
16 |
5 September 2002 |
2002 WAFF Championship |
Iraq |
0-0 (a.e.t.)[lower-alpha 2]
|
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' |
|
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[lower-alpha 3] |
Iran |
0-0
|
Iraq |
|
|
International Stadium, Amman |
21 |
24 June 2007 |
2007 WAFF Championship[lower-alpha 3] |
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 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' |
Canberra Stadium, Canberra |
Statistics
Matches held in Iran |
10 |
Matches held in neutral venue |
13 |
Matches held in Iraq |
2 |
Total matches |
25 |
Top scorers
See also
References
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- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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