Category: Match Review

Gulf Cup 2019, Iraq, Match Review

Review: Reflections on Iraq’s 2019 Gulf Cup Campaign – A Step In The Right Direction, Or More Of The Same?

Defeat is always difficult to stomach. However, it’s significantly more painful when it comes against a team that you have failed to beat in four consecutive attempts within a five month period. Katanec will be pulling his hair out after yet another loss to Bahrain, who have now knocked Iraq out of both the 2019 WAFF and the 2019 Gulf Cup, going on to win … Continue reading Review: Reflections on Iraq’s 2019 Gulf Cup Campaign – A Step In The Right Direction, Or More Of The Same?

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2022 World Cup Qualifiers, Hassanane Balal, Iraq, Match Review, World Cup Qualifiers

2022 WCQ Match Review – Iraq 0-0 Bahrain

All eyes were on Iraq following last week’s incredible victory over Iran. A victory would have all but secured qualification to the next round for the Lions of Mesopotamia, but Bahrain have notoriously been a difficult opposition for Iraq to beat. The last two fixtures with Bahrain have resulted in one loss and one draw, thus the prospect of a comfortable win today were minimal. … Continue reading 2022 WCQ Match Review – Iraq 0-0 Bahrain

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2022 World Cup Qualifiers, Iraq, Match Review

2022 WCQ Match Reviews – Two Wins In Two, But Fans Are Still Left Feeling Disappointed With Katanec

Match Reviews For Iraq 2-0 Hong Kong & Iraq 4-0 Cambodia Two consecutive victories should have left Iraqi fans feeling satisfied, yet fans were left with more questions than answers as Iraq secured all six points against group minnows Hong Kong and Cambodia. The initially excitement of seeing competitive football return to Iraq soon fizzled out after a narrow victory over Hong Kong in the … Continue reading 2022 WCQ Match Reviews – Two Wins In Two, But Fans Are Still Left Feeling Disappointed With Katanec

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2022 World Cup Qualifiers, Match Review

2022 WCQ Match Review: Bahrain 1-1 Iraq

Muhanad Ali spared Katanec’s blushes with a vital equaliser in the dying seconds of an eventful game, as Iraq salvaged an important point away to Bahrain in the Group C opener. Despite having a tough game, and a patchy start to his club career in Qatar, Meme kept believing in himself and rose to the challenge when his country needed him most – signs of … Continue reading 2022 WCQ Match Review: Bahrain 1-1 Iraq

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2019 WAFF, Hassanane Balal, Match Review

2019 WAFF Review – Iraq 0-1 Bahrain: An Honest Reflection On An Eventful Tournament

Blessings can come in many forms. Optimistic Iraqi fans, if there are any left, would like to think that today’s 2019 WAFF Final loss to Bahrain will have many positives to take away. Whilst the loss was disappointing in numerous ways, Iraq demonstrated an excellent ability to host a major international tournament with 9 different teams playing in two separate cities over a span of … Continue reading 2019 WAFF Review – Iraq 0-1 Bahrain: An Honest Reflection On An Eventful Tournament

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2019 WAFF, Match Review

2019 WAFF Match Review: Iraq 1-0 Lebanon

The 2019 West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) Championship kicked off between Iraq and Lebanon, with the hosts taking all three points following a narrow win thanks to Hussain Ali. Iraq, who are hosting the tournament in Karbala and Erbil, fielded a significantly weaker side that featured mostly players from the domestic and gulf leagues. The likes of Ali Adnan, Osama Rashid, Ahmed Yasin and Frans … Continue reading 2019 WAFF Match Review: Iraq 1-0 Lebanon

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Asian Cup 2019, Hassanane Balal, Iraq, Match Review

Asian Cup 2019 Match Review: Iraq 0-1 Qatar

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

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Asian Cup 2019, Iraq, Match Review

Asian Cup 2019 Match Review: Iraq 0-0 Iran

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

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Asian Cup 2019, Hassanane Balal, Match Review

Asian Cup 2019 Match Review: Iraq 3-0 Yemen

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

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Asian Cup 2019, Iraq, Match Review

2019 Asian Cup Match Review: Iraq 3-2 Vietnam

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

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