Iraq, Iran play their 23rd soccer encounter Friday

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraq’s national soccer team will play Iran in a semi-final match of the 6th West Asia tournament in the Jordanian capital Amman on Friday. Iraq qualified to the semi-final game after leading Group C after defeating Yemen 2/1 and Palestine 3/0 while Iran led Group A after defeating Bahrain 3/0 and drawing 2/2 with the Sultanate of Oman. The encounter is the two teams’ 23rd in a series of matches that date back to June 1, 1962, the year that saw their first soccer clash in the Iranian capital Tehran, where the game ended in a 1/1 tie. So far the teams played 22 times, 13 of them won by Iran, five by Iraq and four draws. Iran scored 28 goals in Iraq while Iraq scored 15 in Iran. AmR (P) 1