Iraq defeats Qatar in the opening of the Gulf 24

The match between the Iraqi team and its Qatari host ended with the former’s 2-1 win at the opening of the Gulf 24 at Khalifa International Stadium.

The start was Qatari through the last AFC Asian Cup top scorer Almoez Ali, who fired the first shot in the first minute and repeated the action four minutes later with a close shot to the goalkeeper Jalal Hassan.

Ten minutes passed, Iraq was able to get rid of the Qatari pressure for the first time after Muhannad Ali shot at the Qatari goal but his ball missed the net and turned into a corner that bounced back on Iraq directly, when Afif led the attack and passed it to Abdul Karim Hassan, the best player in Asia 2018, and the last fired strongly in the net.

After quarter of an hour, the game became a debate. Two minutes later, the young Iraqi Mohammed Qassem shot a corner that surprised the Qatari defense and its goalkeeper to hit the net for the first time in the Gulf 24.

Qatar tried to return by intensifying their attacks. While Al-Aamad was looking for a draw, Mohammed Qassim fired a powerful shot that shook Qatar goal again in the 27th minute.

The first card in the match appears at 43 minutes in the face of Mohammad Reza Al-Alawi, and Swiss referee Lionel Cheddi announces the final whistle of the first half with the superiority of the Black Mesopotamia 2-0.

At the beginning of the second half, Qatar coach Sanchez made a change with the departure of Yousef Abdul Razzaq and the entry of Abdulaziz Hatem in the middle in search of overcoming the difference and return to the game.

Most of Qatar’s strength was in the front and they almost tied draws on two occasions, while the Iraqi coach Katanic was trying to absorb the Qatari enthusiasm by a change in the midfield through the entry of Amjad Atwan instead of the two goals scorer Mohammed Qassim, followed by another change, the entry of Saad Nateq instead of Hassan Hammoud.

Sanchez throws the attacker card by Mohamed Muntari’s in place of the defender Tariq Salman in order to intensify the front area in the middle of the second half. The pressure of the Addam continues as the quarter-hour approaches and Jalal Hassan defends his team-mate Jalal Hassan’s miscalculation.

The stadium hosted a crowd of 37,890 spectators. At the time of quarter of an hour, Katanic chooses Safa Hadi to strengthen the Iraqi center.

Substitute defender Bassam Al-Rawi was seriously injured. He came out of the stadium and was replaced by Salem Al-Hajri in a final change for Sanchez, six minutes from the match end.

Jorge Boualem’s head-kicked two minutes before the end of the match and Jalal Hassan stood in front of it valiantly. Chery gave Ahmed Ibrahim a yellow card and Omani referee Omar Yaacoubi raised an additional eight minutes. Khalifa International Stadium was ignited with the enthusiasm of the fans. Iraq wasted an easy opportunity and Qatar did the same at the second minute added.

The next few minutes did not bring anything, and the game ended with a 2-1 win for Iraq.