Iraq players celebrate an own goal by Bahrain goalkeeper Ebrahim Lutfalla.
Doha, Qatar: Iraq kicked off their FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 Group D campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Bahrain at the Stadium 974 yesterday.
Iraq took control early when a Bahrain goalkeeper Ebrahim Lutfalla's mishap resulted in an own goal, before extending their lead with Mohanad Ali’s clinical finish. Bahrain pushed hard to remain in the contest for the remainder of the match and pulled one back through Sayed Hashim Issa, but Iraq sealed the full points with their opening win in Doha.
The result gave the Srecko Katanec-coached side an early boost ahead of their next match against Sudan on Saturday. Bahrain will meet defending champions Algeria, who were held to a 0-0 draw by Sudan in their opener.
Iraq captain Saad Natiq said the victory was a real challenge and a vital result.
“Today was a real challenge for us. It has been more than a year since we last beat Bahrain, and starting the Arab Championship with three points means a lot. Most of the players are young and from the league, but they were up to the task. They were disciplined and executed the coach’s plan very well.
“We have not faced Bahrain for more than 10 years, so this match was very important for us. We hope to win every match,” Natiq said.
The match opened with both teams pushing forward, but Iraq went ahead as early as the 10th minute.
Lutfalla misjudged Aymen Hussein’s header and pushed the ball into his own net in a major mishap. Seven minutes later, Bahrain suffered another blow when Lutfalla left the field due to an injury, before Omar Salem replaced him.
Iraq kept the pressure high, and in the 26th minute, Sajjad Jasim’s shot from the edge of the box deflected to Ali, who fired past Salem to double the lead.
The assistant referee flagged for offside, but VAR confirmed the goal, much to the delight of the enthusiastic Iraqi fans.
Bahrain showed signs of fighting spirits when Mohamed Marhoon dribbled and shot inches wide before the break.
After the restart, Ali’s close-range effort was blocked in the 56th minute, with Salem and Sayed Mahmood teaming up to deny a third goal for Iraq.
Bahrain then pulled one back in the 79th minute. Abdulla Al Khalasi sent in a precise cross for Hashim to score from close range, but they couldn’t find an equalizer as Ebrahim Al Khatal received a red card for violent conduct on Amjed Attwan in the stoppage time.
