With goals from Ali Alhamadi and Aymen Hussein, the Iraqi team wins 2-1 in Monterrey, guarantees the last place in the 2026 World Cup and returns to the tournament since 1986
O Iraq beat Bolivia 2-1 this Tuesday (31), in Monterrey, Mexico, for the intercontinental repechage and guaranteed the last place for the 2026 World Cup.
The Iraqis opened the scoring in front of around 49,000 spectators with a goal by Ali Alhamadi in the 10th minute.
Young Moisés Paniagua, 18 years old, equalized for the South American team (38′) and at the beginning of the second half Aymen Hussein scored the winning goal for Iraq, which ended a long wait of 40 years to return to compete in the World Cup. The last participation was in the 1986 Mexico Cup.
Iraq, whose preparation for this Tuesday’s repechage duel had been shaken by the war in the Middle East, will be in the fiercest Group I, where they will face France, Senegal and Norway.
The victory represented a triumph for Iraq’s Australian coach, Graham Arnold, who had initially tried to postpone the match due to the disruption caused by the regional conflict triggered by the attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran.
Most of the Iraqi squad only arrived in Mexico after an exhausting three-day trip from Baghdad, which began with a land crossing to Jordan.
However, there was hardly any sign of fatigue during Iraq’s confident start, which opened the scoring in the ninth minute through Luton Town striker Al-Hamadi, a 24-year-old who moved to Liverpool as a child following the outbreak of the Iraq War in 2003.
Iraqi midfielder Amir Al-Ammari won a corner after taking a spectacular free kick, saved by Bolivian goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra, who stretched himself out.
In the following set piece, Al-Ammari took the corner with pinpoint accuracy and headed to Al-Hamadi, who deflected it into the back of the net, opening the scoring.
O Iraq made good on the advantage gained at the beginning of the match and seemed to have control of the gameuntil Bolivia, who had been growing little by little in the match, managed to equalize in the 38th minute.
Ramiro Vaca’s shot from the edge of the box was dominated by Moisés Paniagua with a touch, and the Morocco midfielder sent the ball into the back of the net.
The goal left the Iraqis stunned, and the Bolivians looked set to score a second after dominating the remainder of the first half.
But Iraq regained the lead eight minutes into the second half when Marko Lawk-Farji’s cross found captain Hussein and the veteran striker finished first time into the corner.
A Bolivia pressed frantically in search of a goal to force extra time and continue dreaming of participating in the World Cupsomething that has not been achieved since the 1994 edition in the United States.
But the well-organized Iraqi defense remained firm during the nine minutes of injury time and, after much suffering, secured qualification.
*AFP
