Goalkeepers Jalal Hassan – The Captain. All eyes were on the number one spot in goal coming into this tournament. Jalal did very little to ease these concerns and failed to make a claim for this position in the opening game. A miscommunication between Ali Faez and a weak hand on the ball led to two Vietnamese goals, albeit they were not entirely his fault. … Continue reading 2019 Asian Cup: Iraq Squad Individual Player Ratings
Thrown into an impossible task, Katanec took a broken squad and created a unit capable of challenging the best in Asia. No doubt, Iraq could have performed better, but given the circumstances and expectations around the national team only a few months ago, there are still plenty of positives to take away from the four games played in the 2019 Asian Cup. We have listed … Continue reading 5 Talking Points From The 2019 Asian Cup: Painful Reflection On Iraq’s Gradual Decline As An Asian Footballing Force
Football can be an extremely cruel game at times, yet it can also be equally peculiar. In what turned out to be a heartbreaking 90 minutes for Iraqi fans, it was one of their own that sent the Lions of Mesopotamia packing after a narrow defeat to Qatar. Bassam Al-Rawi, born in Iraq, and son of the former Iraqi defender, Hisham Al-Rawi, scored the only … Continue reading Asian Cup 2019 Match Review: Iraq 0-1 Qatar
As expected, Iraq’s final group game with Iran proved to be a tense affair for both teams. Although Iraq came closest to snatching a crucial win, Iran dominated for the majority of the 90 minutes and managed to hold onto top spot in a tough group. It was anticipated that Katanec would field a weakened team going into the Iran game in order to rest … Continue reading Asian Cup 2019 Match Review: Iraq 0-0 Iran
Ali Adnan’s heroics in the final minute of the Vietnam match put Iraq within touching distance of the second round of the the 2019 Asian Cup. Although it was not a great performance, the three points were all that mattered as it allowed Iraq to enter their game against Yemen with the possibility of qualifying to the final 16 with a match to spare. Katanec … Continue reading Asian Cup 2019 Match Review: Iraq 3-0 Yemen
Katanec’s team selection was leaked a few days prior to kickoff, with his starting XI posted all across the internet. His selection was a surprise to many, given how attacking it appeared to be. Iraq started with a back three of Ali Faez, Ahmed Ibrahim and Frans Putros, with Walid Salim and Ali Adnan providing width as wing backs. The midfield of Osama Rashid, Safaa … Continue reading 2019 Asian Cup Match Review: Iraq 3-2 Vietnam
Fans are well aware of the difficulties currently plaguing the Iraqi national team yet expectations are still high as ever for the Lions of Mesopotamia. Despite the constant changing of managers, lack of long-term strategic planning and an inept FA, Katanec still possess an abundance of quality at his disposal. It would be unfair on the manager to expect the national side to compete in … Continue reading Asian Cup 2019 Preview – How Will Iraq Do Under Katanec?
The first of two friendlies, Iraq took on a second-string Argentina side that still possessed enormous quality. It was a tough game for Kalanic to start his reign as Iraqi manager, but it did not stop him from experimenting with the side, bringing in the likes of Osama, Yasin, Justin, Bashar, Mohanad Ali and Mohammed Dawood. The game went exactly as expected, with Argentina completely … Continue reading Match Review: Iraq 0-4 Argentina & Iraq 1-1 Saudi Arabia
Memories of Yaser Kasim making his debut for Iraq against China are now a distant memory for Iraqi fans. Then the star of Swindon, the Iraqi proved pivotal for the Lions of Mesopotamia, who outplayed their opponents in the crucial 2015 Asian Cup qualifier. Despite the two goals from Younis Mahmoud and another from Ali Adnan, Yaser walked away as the game’s hero. His calming … Continue reading Osama Rashid & Yaser Kasim – A Tale Of Two Sides
IRAQ FOOTBALL 