Iraq hosts 1st home soccer match since 2002
By SAMEER N. YACOUB 1 hour ago
BAGHDAD (AP) Iraq's national soccer team will play on home soil Friday for the first time since 2002, hosting Palestine.
Tareq Ahmed, a senior official in the Iraqi Football Federation, said Tuesday that Iraq will play two exhibition matches against Palestine the first Friday in northern Iraq, and the second next week in Baghdad.
"This is another sign that the security situation is getting better," Ahmed said in a telephone interview. He added that he expected a huge turnout by fans "who are eager to see their national team playing inside Iraq."
The Iraqi players have flown to the northern city of Irbil, the capital of Iraq's self-governing Kurdish region that will host the first match, Ahmed said.
Ahmed said Iraqi coach Nathem Shaker will take charge of the Iraq team against Palestine. The contract of coach Bora Milutinovic expired at the end of the Confederations Cup in South Africa.
Iraq also plans to play Tanzania in Baghdad in August.
Iraq last played a home game on July 22, 2002, when it beat Syria 2-1 in Baghdad. The country sank into chaos after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, but has made gains in security after years of insurgent attacks and sectarian violence.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Tuko karibu level sawa kisoka Iraq (94) na Tanzania (97) world cup fifa ranking!
Tumepanda, nafikiri Maximo awaombe Mbrazil tutoe uoga nao, why not and he is from brazil?????
Six killed as families bury Baghdad bomb victims
By Prashant Rao Jun 25, 2009
BAGHDAD (AFP) At least six people died in a new wave of bomb and gun attacks in Iraq on Thursday, as the families of 62 people killed in a Baghdad market bombing began to bury their loved ones...
Bombings Kill at Least 3 in Baghdad By VOA News
02 July 2009
Bombings have killed at least three people in the Baghdad area, the first such violence since U.S. troops withdrew from Iraqi cities.
Nafikiri wanaweza kuandaliwa kisaikologia na wataalamu na wakacheza mechi nzuri...kuna mtu anadata ya timu Iraq hivi karibuni imecheza na timu zipi tuone kama wako fiti???Hata mimi nimeshangaa kuiona hiyo taarifa kwenye mtandao jana! sijasikia TFF ikitangaza kama kuna mechi ya kirafiki around the corner na ambayo inaihusisha Iraq! siyo safe kabisa kuipeleka timu kule na hata tukienda timu itafungwa kwa kiwewe tu cha kuogopa mabomu.
Kisaikolojia tanzania itakuwa imefungwa kabla ya kuingia uwanjani.Hata nikiwa mimi siwezi kucheza kwa amani na wala siwezi kukubali kuitwa timu ya taifa kwaajili ya huo mchezo.
Nafikiri wanaweza kuandaliwa kisaikologia na wataalamu na wakacheza mechi nzuri...kuna mtu anadata ya timu Iraq hivi karibuni imecheza na timu zipi tuone kama wako fiti???
Iraq hamna matatizo yoyote sasa wanaweza kwenda kucheza tu. Vyombo vya habari vya magaribi ndivyo vina-report habari mbaya za huko lakini kuko shwari tu sasa.