Duhok wins against Kuwait's Qadsiah to win the Gulf Clubs Cup
The Iraqi team Duhok won the Gulf Clubs Cup on Tuesday evening after defeating Kuwait's Qadsiah 2-1 in the second leg of the final.
Duhok took the lead through Sepaned Akid in the 66th minute before Qadsiah equalized through Muhammed Salih in the 70th minute.
In additional time, Duhok scored a decisive goal in the 93rd minute with a precise header from Marlon. The team maintained the lead despite over 13 minutes of extra time, winning the title for the first time in the tournament's history and the first for an Iraqi club.
The first leg was held in Kuwait on April 8th and ended in a clean draw.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Iraqi News
7 hours ago
- Iraqi News
Iraq and the World Cup dream: a nation's playoff path to 2026 is revealed
Baghdad ( – For a nation with a deep and enduring passion for football, the dream of seeing the Lions of Mesopotamia on the World Cup stage is a powerful unifying force. After a hard-fought qualifying round, Iraq finished third in their group, keeping that dream alive. Now, the path to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been clarified, revealing a challenging but possible multi-stage playoff journey that has the entire country holding its breath. Iraq has qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals only once in its history, a cherished memory for generations of fans. In 1986, the national team traveled to Mexico, where they competed bravely in a tough group against hosts Mexico, Belgium, and Paraguay. Though they did not advance, the team left an indelible mark. After narrow 1-0 losses to Paraguay and Mexico, Iraq scored its first and only World Cup finals goal when the legendary Ahmed Radhi found the net against a strong Belgian side in a 2-1 defeat. That moment remains a pinnacle of Iraqi football history, a symbol of pride that fans long to see repeated. To return to the global stage, Iraq must first navigate the AFC Playoff (Fourth Round). The draw for this crucial stage will be held on July 17th. The six Asian teams that finished third in their respective groups have been seeded into three pots for this draw: Pot 1 (Hosts): Qatar, Saudi Arabia Pot 2: Iraq, UAE Pot 3: Oman, Indonesia These teams will be drawn into two groups of three (Group A and Group B), with each group hosted by either Qatar or Saudi Arabia. As a Pot 2 team, Iraq knows it will face one host nation (either Qatar or Saudi Arabia) and one other nation (either Oman or Indonesia). The format is a high-stakes, single round-robin tournament held in October 2025. Iraq's two decisive matches are scheduled for October 11th (against the Pot 3 team) and October 14th (against the Pot 1 host). The stakes in these two October matches are immense, as they offer two distinct paths forward: Direct Qualification: The winner of each of the two playoff groups (the team that finishes 1st in Group A and 1st in Group B) will qualify directly for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This is the primary goal for Iraq. The Final Chance: The runners-up of each group (the teams that finish 2nd) will have one last lifeline. They will play each other in a Fifth Round single match. The winner of that match will advance to the Inter-Confederation Playoff, where they will face teams from other continents (like CONCACAF, CONMEBOL, or OFC) for one of the very last spots in the World Cup. The journey is complex and demanding, but the path is clear. For Iraq, the dream of a second World Cup appearance hinges on two critical games this October. The nation watches with hope, ready to cheer on the Lions of Mesopotamia as they fight to make history once again.
Iraqi News
7 hours ago
- Iraqi News
AFC names four Iraqi clubs eligible for 2025-26 Asian competitions
Baghdad ( – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Wednesday (June 11, 2025) officially announced the four Iraqi clubs that have successfully met the criteria for the AFC License, granting them eligibility to participate in continental club competitions for the 2025-2026 season. The four clubs that fulfilled all technical, administrative, and financial requirements are Al-Zawra'a, Al-Shorta, Al-Kahrabaa, and Zakho. Crucially, this means that only these four teams will be able to represent Iraq in next season's AFC tournaments, which include the AFC Champions League Elite, AFC Champions League 2, and the AFC Challenge League. Participation is exclusive to these licensed clubs, regardless of the final standings in the current 2024-2025 domestic Iraqi Stars League. Other clubs will not be eligible for continental spots even if they achieve high league positions. This announcement clarifies Iraq's representatives on the Asian stage for the upcoming season, highlighting the critical importance of the AFC's licensing system.
Iraqi News
a day ago
- Iraqi News
Iraq seeks to host an Asian World Cup qualification group
Baghdad ( – The Iraqi Football Association (IFA) has officially requested to host one of two groups in the fourth round of Asian qualifiers for next year's World Cup in North America. Iraq will finish third or fourth in Group B in the third round, with 12 points before its final encounter against Jordan in Amman on Tuesday, according to Reuters. In a statement on Facebook, the IFA announced that it had sent a letter to the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) requesting the highest levels of openness and impartiality in the process of selecting the host country or countries for the fourth round of Asian qualifiers. The IFA has said that it is fully prepared to handle all organizational, security, and financial responsibilities pertaining to hosting matches, with assistance from the Iraqi government and state agencies. In the fourth round of qualifying, the six teams that finished in third and fourth place in their respective groups during the third stage will be divided into two groups. The team that wins each group will qualify directly for the World Cup finals. Meanwhile, the two teams that finish in second place will compete in a playoff to decide which team will represent Asia in an international playoff.
