Iran will meet Iraq on Wednesday in the final Group D match to determine who will end up as head of the group. It will be a repeat of the quarter-final of AFC Asian Cup 2015 where Iraq came on top on penalties to qualify for the semi finals. This time round, there will be no penalty kicks. A draw is sufficient for Iran to clinch the table lead.
This will be the 27th meeting between the two neighbors since their first meeting 57 years ago in Amjadieh Stadium, Tehran in 1962. Iran is on top by a big margin with 16 wins to Iraq’s 4.
HEAD 2 HEAD
| H / A / N | Matches | W | D | L | GF | GA | + / – |
| H | 11 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 8 | 10 |
| A | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| N | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 10 | 6 |
| Total | 26 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 38 | 19 | 19 |
Match Date: 16 January 2019
- This is the seventh encounter between Iran and Iraq at the Asian Cup. Only one fixture has been played more frequently at the tournament (8 matches between South Korea and Kuwait).
- Iran have won four of their six previous Asian Cup encounters with Iraq (D1 L1, penalties excluded), scoring in all six of those encounters. However, their last encounter saw Iraq beat Iran on penalties in the quarter-finals of the 2015 edition (3-3 a.e.t., 7-6 on pens).
- Iran are unbeaten in 19 group stage games at the Asian Cup (W15 D4), a run that stretches back to 1996, when they lost 2-1 to Iraq.
- Iraq will be looking to finish the group stages unbeaten for just the second time in the Asian Cup, last doing so in 2007 when they went on to win the tournament, defeating Saudi Arabia 1-0 in the final.
- Iran’s Sardar Azmoun is the first player to score three goals in the 2019 Asian Cup, he has already netted more than he did in the 2015 edition (2).
- The most common result in the 26 matches played between Iran and Iraq ended up 2-1
Table of Asian Cup
| Asian Cup | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | + / – |
| Total | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 6 | 6 |
Results in Asian Cup
| Country | Date | Round | Score | Venue | Attendance | |
| Australia | 23.Jan.2015 | Quarter Finals | N | 3 – 3 | Canberra Stadium , Canberra. | 18,921 |
| Sardar AZMOUN (24), Morteza POURALIGANJI (103), Reza GHOOCHANNEJAD (119) | ||||||
| Qatar | 11.Jan.2011 | Group D | N | 2 – 1 | Rayyan Stadium , Doha | 10,870 |
| Gholamreza REZAEI (41), Iman MOBALI (84) | ||||||
| Lebanon | 18.Oct.2000 | Group A | N | 1 – 0 | Municipal Stadium ,Sidon | 8,582 |
| Ali DAEI (77) | ||||||
| UAE | 07.Dec.1996 | Group B | N | 1 – 2 | Al Maktoum Stadium , Dubai | 20,000 |
| Ali DAEI (pen.) (77) | ||||||
| Iran | 04.Jun.1976 | Group B | H | 2 – 0 | Aryamehr Stadium, Tehran | 50,000 |
| Nasser NOORAEI (45), Hassan ROWSHAN (57) | ||||||
| Thailand | 09.May.1972 | Group A | N | 3 – 0 | National Stadium, Bangkok | 5,000 |
| Hossein KALANI (34), (70), (78) | ||||||
IRAN vs IRAQ FULL MATCHES LIST
| Date | Comp. | H / A / N | Final score | Stadium | Attendance |
| 23.01.2015 | Asian Cup / Quarter Finals | N | 3 – 3 | Canberra Stadium , Canberra. | 18,921 |
| 04.01.2015 | Friendly International | N | 1 – 0 | WIN Stadium, Wollongong, NSW | |
| 11.01.2011 | Asian Cup | N | 2 – 1 | Rayyan Stadium , Doha | 10,870 |
| 01.10.2010 | WAFF / Semi Final | N | 2 – 1 | King Abdullah Satdium – Amman | 10,300 |
| 25.06.2007 | WAFF / Final | N | 2 – 1 | International Stadium , Amman | 8,000 |
| 16.06.2007 | WAFF / Group B | N | 0 – 0 | International Stadium , Amman | 5,000 |
| 04.10.2006 | Others / LG CUP | A | 2 – 0 | King Abdulla Stadium , Amman | 1,000 |
| 23.06.2004 | WAFF / Semi Finals | H | 2 – 1 | Azadi Stadium, Tehran | 15,000 |
| 13.08.2003 | Others / LG CUP | H | 0 – 1 | Azadi Stadium, Tehran | 20,000 |
| 05.09.2002 | WAFF / Semi Finals | N | 0 – 0 | Al Abbassyin Stadium , Damascus | 2,000 |
| 12.10.2001 | World Cup Qualifier | H | 2 – 1 | Azadi Stadium, Tehran | 90,000 |
| 07.09.2001 | World Cup Qualifier | A | 2 – 1 | Al Shaab Stadium, Baghdad | 60,000 |
| 18.10.2000 | Asian Cup | N | 1 – 0 | Municipal Stadium ,Sidon | 8,582 |
| 07.12.1996 | Asian Cup | N | 1 – 2 | Al Maktoum Stadium , Dubai | 20,000 |
| 22.10.1993 | World Cup Qualifier | N | 1 – 2 | Khalifa International Stadium, Doha | 30,000 |
| 05.11.1989 | Peace & Friendship Tour | N | 0 – 0 | Kadhma Stadium , Kuwait City | 8,500 |
| 04.06.1976 | Asian Cup | H | 2 – 0 | Aryamehr Stadium, Tehran | 50,000 |
| 29.08.1975 | Olympics Qualifier | H | 1 – 0 | Azadi Stadium, Tehran | 80,000 |
| 13.09.1974 | Asian Games / Semi Finals | H | 1 – 0 | Azadi Stadium, Tehran | 85,000 |
| 09.05.1972 | Asian Cup | N | 3 – 0 | National Stadium, Bangkok | 5,000 |
| 07.03.1969 | Friendship Cup | H | 2 – 1 | Amjadiah Stadium,Tehran | |
| 07.03.1966 | Friendly International | H | 2 – 1 | Amjadiah Stadium,Tehran | |
| 03.01.1964 | Olympics Qualifier | A | 0 – 0 | Sahat Al Kashafa , Baghdad | 20,000 |
| 12.12.1963 | Olympics Qualifier | H | 4 – 0 | Amjadiah Stadium,Tehran | 25,000 |
| 03.06.1962 | Friendly International | H | 1 – 2 | Amjadiah Stadium,Tehran | 12,000 |
| 01.06.1962 | Friendly International | H | 1 – 1 | Amjadiah Stadium,Tehran | 10,000 |
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