Tag: Iraq

Erling Haaland struck his first FIFA World Cup goals as Norway beat Iraq 4-1 on Tuesday in their first game at a major tournament in 26 years.

The Manchester City striker turned in from close range to give Norway the lead on 29 minutes in Boston, but Aymen Hussein’s header brought Iraq level.

Haaland pounced on an error at the back to put Norway ahead again before half-time and take his goals tally at the international level to 57 in just 51 matches.

Leo Ostigard headed in a third for Norway moments after coming off the bench to effectively wrap up victory. Norway got a fourth deep into stoppage time through a Hussein own goal.

The win left Norway on top of Group I on goal difference, level with France on three points after Les Bleus overcame Senegal 3-1 earlier in the day. The Norwegians face the African powerhouses in their next game in New Jersey on June 22.

No team endured a longer or more perilous road to the World Cup than Iraq, who secured their place as the 48th and final qualifier in March after a 21-match campaign that stretched across 867 days.

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Hussein, scorer of the decisive goal in the play-off win over Bolivia, was then held and questioned for hours by US immigration officials after arriving with the squad ahead of Iraq’s first World Cup since 1986.

Norway last played at the tournament in 1998, when coach Stale Solbakken was a member of the squad that famously beat Brazil in the group stage before exiting in the last 16. He also featured at Euro 2000.

After breezing impressively through qualifying, twice thrashing Italy, they are hoping a golden generation of players – led by Haaland and Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard – can break new ground in North America.

Solbakken predicted Haaland would make a “very big impact” at his first major finals, and the City star was quick to deliver on that promise.

Antonio Nusa’s trickery was a problem for Iraq, and his incisive pass released the overlapping David Moller Wolfe clear before Haaland stretched to steer in the low cross from the left.

Iraq, who lost all their of group games on their only previous appearance, did not let that get to them as they equalised 10 minutes later.

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Amir Al-Ammari found space just inside the area and clipped in a cross, with Hussein rising brilliantly to power a header past Orjan Nyland.

But Iraq only had themselves to blame as they gift-wrapped Haaland’s second of the contest.

Goalkeeper Jalal Hassan was slow to react to a softly-hit backpass, his attempted clearance smacking off Haaland’s shin and ricocheting into the net.

Iraq again responded well, with Ibrahim Bayesh denied by a desperation block, Ali Al-Hamadi dribbling an effort wide and centre-back Akam Hashim lashing a spectacular volley just over the bar.

Ostigard nodded in Odegaard’s corner on 76 minutes to seal the points for Norway, before Haaland was thwarted by Hassan when another loose pass sent him clean through and seeking his hat-trick.

Haaland nonetheless had a hand in Norway’s late fourth, his looping header back across goal deflecting off Hussein before trickling over the line.

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Iraq football coach Graham Arnold challenged his players to “shock the world” after they became the 48th and final team to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a nerve-shredding 2-1 win over Bolivia in an intercontinental playoff in Mexico on Tuesday.

Iraq, whose preparations were disrupted by the war in the Middle East, sealed their first appearance at the finals in 40 years and will play in Group I against France, Senegal and Norway.

Goals from Ali Al-Hamadi and Aymen Hussein secured a famous win for Iraq, whose last appearance at the World Cup came at Mexico in 1986.

“With everything going on in the Middle East at the moment, it made it harder for the players,” said the Australian Arnold, who had initially sought to have the fixture postponed due to the disruption caused by the conflict.

“Delighted for the players, very good boys, very happy for the 46 million Iraqis,” he added.

“Hopefully, it will help change the perception of Iraq and football in Iraq. Doing something in the World Cup that nobody expects us to do. Let’s shock the world.”

Because of travel disruption caused by the US-Israel war on Iran, most of the Iraqi squad only reached Mexico after a gruelling three‑day journey from Baghdad that began with an overland crossing into Jordan.

But there was little sign of weariness during a confident start by Iraq, who took the lead after nine minutes through Luton Town striker Al-Hamadi, the 24-year-old who moved to Liverpool as a toddler following the outbreak of the 2003 Iraq war.

Iraq midfielder Amir Al-Ammari won a corner after a superb free-kick that was saved at full stretch from Bolivia goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra.

From the subsequent set piece, Al-Ammari curled a pinpoint corner onto the head of Al-Hamadi, who nodded home for 1-0.

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Iraq were well worth the early goal and looked in control until Bolivia, who had gradually grown into the game, equalized after 38 minutes.

Ramiro Vaca’s shot from the edge of the area was controlled with one touch by Moises Paniagua, and the Morocco-based central midfielder swept it into the roof of the net.

The goal stunned Iraq, and Bolivia looked likely to grab a second after dominating the remainder of the half.

Iraq regained the lead eight minutes after the break, when a long ball forward was nodded into the path of substitute Marko Lawk-Farji.

His cross found captain Hussein, and the veteran striker clipped a first-time finish into the bottom corner.

Bolivia pressed frantically for a goal to force extra-time, but Iraq’s well-marshalled defence held firm during nine minutes of stoppage time.

The 62-year-old Arnold, who took Australia to the last 16 of the Qatar World Cup in 2022, said: “We have two months to get fit.

“For us to do something at this World Cup would be a miracle.”

Oscar Villegas, the Bolivia coach, was visibly distraught.

“Devastated, totally devastated because we believed we could be at the World Cup,” he said.

READ: Iran football players in Turkey pose with photos of Middle East war victims

Iraq scored a penalty in the 17th minute of injury time to beat the United Arab Emirates (UAE) 2-1 in the second leg of their 2026 World Cup qualifying tie on Tuesday and secure a place in the inter-confederation play-offs.

Substitute Mohanad Ali, who plays in the UAE for Dibba, and Amir Al-Ammari scored in Basra as Graham Arnold’s men came from behind to secure a 3-2 aggregate victory after last week’s 1-1 first-leg draw.

Iraq, whose only appearance at a World Cup was a group-stage exit in Mexico in 1986, progressed to the six-team play-offs where the last two tickets to the finals will be decided.

The UAE broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute, as Yahia Nader slipped the ball through for Brazilian-born forward Caio Lucas to fire the ball past Iraq goalkeeper Jalal Hachim.

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But Iraq hit back midway through the second half when Mohanad Ali headed home Al-Ammari’s free-kick.

The home side piled on the pressure late on, with Mohanad Ali missing two good chances to score a winner.

But VAR awarded Iraq the latest of penalties for a handball, and Al-Ammari stepped up to net the spot-kick and keep alive his nation’s hopes of ending their 40-year wait to play in a World Cup.

Bolivia, New Caledonia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo have also booked their places at the inter-confederation play-offs.

The other two play-off spots will be decided by the final round of CONCACAF qualifiers later Tuesday, with Jamaica and Panama currently in position to qualify for the mini-tournament.

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