World Cup 2022 qualifying-Asia returns to the fold on Thursday as Iran square off Iraq at the Azadi Stadium, kickoff is set for 27th January 2022 17:30 EAT.
Team Melli currently sits at the summit of the Group A table, having picked up 16 points from six matches. Coming into this game, Iran has picked up 13 points from the last five games both home and away. Both teams scored in just two of those games and Iran has scored 10 goals.
Iran will be hoping for more of the same after the 0-3 WC Qualifiers – Asia triumph against Syria in their last outing. In that match, Iran had 48% possession, 12 shots with six of them on target and goals scored by Alireza Jahanbakhsh 2’, Mehdi Taremi 69’ and Ali Gholizadeh 90’. Iraq got two shots with only one of them on target.
Meanwhile, Iraq is second from the bottom of their group with just four points from the eight qualifiers fixtures. Coming into this game, Iraq has picked up three points from the last five qualifiers games both home and away. Both teams have scored in also two of those games and Iraq has scored three goals in that period.
Iraq will be looking for another win in the qualifiers following on 1-0 International Friendlies victory versus Uganda in their last game. It is worth noting that Iraq has suffered from a lack of goals over their previous six encounters, recording the disappointing return of just four in those fixtures.
Iran vs Iraq head to head
Iran has a slight upper hand in the head to head meetings between these two teams having won in five out of the nine encounters since 2010. Iraq has three victories and one match ended in stalemate.
- Iraq 0-3 Iran 07/09/21
- Iran 1-0 Iraq 15/06/21
- Iraq 2-1 Iran 14/11/19
- Iran 0-0 Iraq 16/01/19
- Iran 0-1 Iraq 18/03/17
Home
- Syria 0-3 Iran
- Lebanon 1-2 Iran
- Iran 1-1 Republic of Korea
- Korea Republic 0-1 Iran
- Iraq 0-3 Iran
Away
- Qatar 3-0 Iraq
- Bahrain 0-0 Iraq
- Iraq 1-1 Oman
- Iraq 0-3 Republic of Korea
- Iraq 1-1 Syria
Iran team news
The host will miss out the services of Ehsan Hajsafi, Majid Hosseini, Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh, Mehdi Mehdipour, Sardar Azmoun who are unavailable with Covid-19.
Iraq team news
Ali Faez is the only injury concern for the visitors.
Prediction and odds
Despite missing the services of key players we are backing Iran to emerge triumphant considering that they have vastly superior players to their neighbors.
- Iran Win
- Goals under 2.5
- Both teams to score (No)
