Match Report
1 points and 1 places separated them: Iran 1st with 18, Iraq 2nd with 17. Recent form told a different story for Iraq: only 30th in the league over the last five rounds despite sitting 2nd. Scoring rates set the scale: Iran 4.25 scored and 0.5 conceded per game, Iraq 1.75 and 0.5, with the league averaging 1.5.
Defeat had not touched Iran in 8 games, having scored in 9 consecutive games.
4 previous meetings sit in the GioScore records — Iran 1, draws 1, Iraq 2, at 1.25 goals per meeting. Whoever hosts gains little here: home teams have taken just 25% of the wins in this fixture. Historically tight: 25% of the meetings went beyond two goals.
Azadi Stadium, capacity 100,000, hosted the game. On the scoreboard, it was 0-0 at the break; 1 second-half goal set the final 1-0.
Key stats
Possession: Iran 57% · Iraq 43% · Total shots: 21-10 · On target: 9-3 · Corners: 10-5