Iraq beats Indonesia 3-1 in the AFC Asian Cup
Iraqi players celebrating their team’s first goal against Indonesia in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup held in Qatar. Photo: Karim Jaafar/AFP
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraq secured a 3-1 victory against Indonesia in a highly competitive match during the 2023 AFC Asian Cup’s Group D, earning all three points.
Despite the optimism that Indonesia’s Marselino Ferdinand would score, Mohanad Ali, Omar Rashid, and Aymen Hussein secured the victory.
Iraq’s goals were scored by Mohanad Ali in the 17th minute, Omar Rashid in the 45th minute (+7), and Aymen Hussein in the 76th minute.
Marselino Ferdinand scored Indonesia’s goal in the 37th minute.
The Iraqi national team is attempting to capture a second continental victory in its history at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, which is held in Qatar between January 12 and February 10.
This is the second match between the two teams since Iraq achieved a 2-0 victory over Indonesia in Asia Cup qualifying in November 2013.
The Iraqi football team recorded a 5-1 win over Indonesia last November in their first match in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
In their seven previous encounters, Indonesia suffered defeat in six matches and has yet to secure a victory against Iraq.
The sole draw between Iraq and Indonesia occurred in a World Cup qualifying match in March 1973, where the game ended in a 1-1 deadlock.
The Iraqi national team’s first victory of the AFC Asian Cup took place in 2007, when it defeated Saudi Arabia 1-0 in the final match.
This is the tenth time that the Iraqi national team has participated in the Asian Cup. It participated in the championship for the first time in 1972 and hasn’t missed the finals since 1996.
The team’s most noteworthy accomplishment was taking home the championship in 2007.
Iraq will play its coming match against Japan on January 19, and then its last match in Group D against Vietnam on January 24.