2008–09 Al-Zawraa SC season

This is a list of Al-Zawraa's results at the Iraqi Premier League 2008-09 and AFC Cup 2009. The club is competing in the Iraqi Premier League and AFC Cup.

Al-Zawraa
2008–09 season
ChairmanIraq Salam Hashim
ManagerIraq Yahya Alwan
Iraqi Premier League 2008-094th (Group B)
AFC Cup 2009Round of 16
Top goalscorerLeague: Iraq Salar Abdul-Jabar (8)
All: Iraq Salar Abdul-Jabar (9)

Al-Zawraa’s massive problems

Financial problems

Before the start of the 2008-09 season, The Iraq Football Association announced that they are no longer able to afford financing the Iraqi clubs and hence each club had to get an official sponsor. Since the Iraqi clubs are based on institutions, military bases and ministries, Al-Zawraa's official sponsor is Ministry of Transport.

The Problem began when Amer Abdul-Jabbar, the Minister of Transport offered financing the club but in exchange of changing the club's name From Al-Zawraa to Transport. But when Al-Zawraa fans heard this news, 8 million Iraqis announced their Civil disobedience if they change Al-Zawraa name.[1] Even the Iraq Football Association refused the idea of changing Al-Zawraa's name. Salam Hashim the current President of the club made a middle Solution to change Al-Zawraa name from Al-Zawra to Al-Zawraa Transport, both the fans and the Minister of Transport refused the idea.

Withdrawal threats

In the middle of the 2008-09 season, Salam Hashim announced that Al-Zawraa will withdraw from the Iraqi League and the AFC Cup if no one give Al-Zawraa a helping hand, but the Prime Minister of Iraq Nouri al-Maliki reacted and gave Al-Zawraa 10 Million Iraqi Dinars for their camping in the Iraqi League and the AFC Cup, he promised monthly finance backing.

Transfer problems

At the beginning of the season. Al-Zawraa had to sell their key players like top scorer Abdul-Salam Abood, the Defensive Midfielder Mohannad Nassir and the main goalkeeper Ahmad Ali Jaber due to financial problems. They bought only young players and using some from Al-Zawraa's youth team. But in a brave act from the Iraq national football team’s goalkeeper Mohammed Gassid who moved to Al-Zawraa for a cheap salary saying he doesn’t care about the money and he loves Al-Zawraa and playing for Al-Zawraa is like a dream to him. Similar act happened from Haidar Sabah who preferred to come back to Al-Zawraa instead of extending his contract with Arbil FC, the richest team in Iraq.

Before the winter transfers period, the 34-year-old striker and the son of the club Hesham Mohammed promised that he will come back to Al-Zawraa and try to help them with his experience. Hesham is famous in wearing number 8 and when he asked what is the number he will pick, he answered that Haidar Sabah earned this number and he will choose another number, thinking of picking number 88. In the winter transfers period he fulfilled his promise and signed for Al-Zawraa.

Banning the whole team

Before the end of the season, Al-Zawra’s President Salam Hashim banned 25 players for playing for Al-Zawra. The story began when 15 players asked for their wages, complaining that they didn’t receive any money in the last three months. But Salam Hashim blamed the Ministry of Transport for not supporting Al-Zawra and he told the players that he doesn’t have any money in the moment and he will give them next season, the players refused to play giving the reason that they are human and they need to eat and to pay for their houses rent. The rest of the team stood up solidarity with the team, which made Salam Hashim banning the whole team. Al-Zawra had 4 postponed matches and if Al-Zawra win them all Al-Zawra would reach the second place in Group B which it will makes them the play the decisive 3rd-4th place match. The Team played the postponed matches with the u-16 team with Ahmad Salam Hashim the son of Salam Hashim being the Captain of the team. Al-Zawra lost three matches and draw one.

2008-09 squad and starting lineup

Iraq
Iraq
18 Attiya
Iraq
15 Abdul-Ghani (C)
Iraq
5 Zaboon
Iraq
Iraq
Iraq
25 A. Ibrahim
Iraq
Iraq
28 S. Hussein
Iraq
Iraq
19 Abdul-Jabar
2008-2009 starting lineup.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Iraq IRQ Osama Hussien Ali
2 DF Iraq IRQ Amer Khalif
3 MF Iraq IRQ Mohammed Najm
4 DF Iraq IRQ Akram Sattar Jabar
5 MF Iraq IRQ Hasan Zaboon
6 DF Iraq IRQ Ous Ibrahim
7 MF Iraq IRQ Ali Yousif
8 MF Iraq IRQ Haidar Sabah
9 FW Iraq IRQ Omar Kadhim
10 FW Iraq IRQ Hussam Saeed
11 MF Iraq IRQ Nasim Jassim
12 MF Iraq IRQ Mohammed Fadhel
13 DF Iraq IRQ Omar Sabah Jassim
14 FW Iraq IRQ Mohammed Abdul-Jabar
15 DF Iraq IRQ Gaith Abdul-Ghani (captain)
16 MF Iraq IRQ Abbas Hussein Rehema
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 DF Iraq IRQ Ahmad Salam Hashim
18 DF Iraq IRQ Adnan Attiya
19 MF Iraq IRQ Salar Abdul-Jabar
20 MF Iraq IRQ Sinan Fawzi
21 FW Iraq IRQ Marwan Hussein
22 GK Iraq IRQ Ammar Ali Al-Azzawi
23 FW Iraq IRQ Mustafa Ahmad
24 GK Iraq IRQ Mohammed Gassid
25 MF Iraq IRQ Ahmad Ibrahim
26 MF Iraq IRQ Thamer Fouad
27 FW Iraq IRQ Mezher Ahmad
28 MF Iraq IRQ Sajjad Hussein
29 DF Iraq IRQ Ali Kamel
30 FW Iraq IRQ Mussa Sattar Hashim
88 FW Iraq IRQ Hesham Mohammed

Bold = National team players

Changes in

No. Position Player Age Moving from League Transfer Window
1 GKIraq Osama Hussien Ali22Al-TalabaIraqi Premier League Summer
8 MFIraq Haidar Sabah23Arbil FCIraqi Premier League Summer
24 GKIraq Mohammed Gassid22Al-ShortaIraqi Premier League Summer
27 FWIraq Mezher Ahmad23Samaraa FCIraqi Premier League Summer
88 FWIraq Hesham Mohammed34Jableh SCSyrian League Winter

Changes out

No. Position Player Age Moving to League Transfer Window
1 GKIraq Ahmad Ali Jaber27Arbil FCIraqi Premier League Summer
10 FWIraq Abdul-Salam Abood22Al-TalabaIraqi Premier League Summer
16 MFIraq Mohannad Nassir26Dohuk FCIraqi Premier League Summer
30 GKIraq Sarmad Rasheed27Al-AmanaIraqi Premier League Summer

Iraqi Premier League

The 2008-09 season is the 35th edition of the Iraqi Premier League, it starts on 1 November 2008 and is scheduled to end on 10 May 2009. 28 teams from all over the country are competing for the title. Arbil FC are the defending champion and Al-Zawraa are the runner-up.

The IFA decided to cancel the old group system, which was used from 2004 until 2008. This time, the 28 teams will be divided into two groups with each 14 teams. There will be a northern and southern group, with the clubs from the capital Baghdad being drawn into either one of these groups. After playing home and away games, the two group winners are going to play for the League Title in a final. The two runners-up are playing for the third place and a spot at the 2009-10 Arab Champions League. The league champions and runner-up will qualify for the 2010 AFC Cup. Furthermore, it was announced that this will be the last season featuring groups.

Al-Zawraa is grouped in Group B.

Group B standing

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
2 Al-Amana 24 13 11 0 37 15 +22 50 Qualified to Third place match
3 Al-Talaba 24 14 5 5 32 15 +17 47
4 Al-Zawraa 24 9 9 6 30 24 +6 36
5 Naft Al-Junoob 24 9 9 6 27 23 +4 36
6 Al-Minaa 24 10 6 8 20 24 4 36
Source: Goalzz
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

Results summary

OverallHomeAway
PldWDLGFGAGDPtsWDLGFGAGDWDLGFGAGD
24 9 9 6 30 24  +6 36 4 4 4 15 15  0 5 5 2 15 9  +6

Results by round

Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324
GroundHAHAHAHAAHHAAHAHAHAHHAAH
ResultWDDLDDLWWWWWLDDLDLWDLDWW
Updated to match(es) played on 19 June 2009. Source: "Goalzz.com". Archived from the original on 21 April 2009. Retrieved 10 April 2009.
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Matches

# Date Home Score Away Goal(s)
1 1 November 2008 Al-Zawraa 4-1 Al-Minaa Mezher Ahmad 17' 38' - Haidar Sabah 50' - Mustafa Ahmad 75'
2 7 November 2008 Al-Sinaa 0-0 Al-Zawraa
3 15 November 2008 Al-Zawraa 1-1 Maysan Ous Ibrahim 17'
4 22 November 2008 Naft Al-Janoob 2-1 Al-Zawraa Mezher Ahmad 47'
5 6 December 2008 Al-Zawraa 2-2 Kufa Sajjad Hussein 50' - Gaith Abdul-Ghani 94'
6 13 December 2008 Al-Amana 1-1 Al-Zawraa Ahmad Ibrahim 28'
7 19 December 2008 Al-Zawraa 0-1 Al-Talaba
8 26 December 2008 Karbalaa 0-1 Al-Zawraa Mustafa Ahmad 86'
9 2 January 2009 Najaf 1-2 Al-Zawraa Salar Abdul-Jabar 61', 74'
10 12 January 2009 Al-Zawraa 1-0 Samawa Mustafa Ahmad 29'
11 17 January 2009 Al-Zawraa 3-1 Al-Bareed Mustafa Ahmad 27' - Haidar Sabah 43' - Salar Abdul-Jabar 60'
12 24 January 2009 Nassriya 1-2 Al-Zawraa Salar Abdul-Jabar 14', 69'
13 21 February 2009 Al-Minaa 1-0 Al-Zawraa
14 27 February 2009 Al-Zawraa 1-1 Al-Sinaa Ahmad Ibrahim 48'
15 10 June 2009 Maysan 1-1 Al-Zawraa Marwan Hussein 5'
16 13 June 2009 Al-Zawraa 1-3 Naft Al-Janoob Hesham Mohammed 6'
17 28 March 2009 Kufa 0-0 Al-Zawraa
18 12 April 2009 Al-Zawraa 0-2 Al-Amana
19 16 June 2009 Al-Talaba 0-2 Al-Zawraa Haidar Sabah 56' - Mustafa Ahmad 66'
20 16 April 2009 Al-Zawraa 0-0 Karbalaa
21 16 June 2009 Al-Zawraa 0-2 Najaf
22 30 April 2009 Samawa 1-1 Al-Zawraa Salar Abdul-Jabar 19'
23 11 May 2009 Al-Bareed 1-4 Al-Zawraa Ali Yousif 43' - Salar Abdul-Jabar 43', 83' - Omar Kadhim 71'
24 1 June 2009 Al-Zawraa 2-1 Nassriya Haidar Sabah 13' - Mustafa Ahmad 31'
  • Pos = Postponed

Top scorers

# Pos Player Name Goal(s)
1
Iraq Salar Abdul-Jabar
8
2
Iraq Mustafa Ahmad
6
3
Iraq Haidar Sabah
4
4
Iraq Mezher Ahmad
3
5
Iraq Ahmad Ibrahim
2
6
Iraq Hesham Mohammed
1
6
Iraq Omar Kadhim
1
6
Iraq Marwan Hussein
1
6
Iraq Ali Yousif
1
6
Iraq Sajjad Hussein
1
6
Iraq Ous Ibrahim
1
6
Iraq Gaith Abdul-Ghani
1

AFC Cup

Iraq was excluded from the AFC Champions League due to not fulfilling the AFC demand of having a fully professional league. Hence, the Iraqi clubs relegated to the AFC Cup with having 2 seats to participate in. The 2007-08 Iraqi Premier League's Champion and runners-up will participate this season.

Al-Zawraa as runner-up in the previous season will take part in the AFC Cup for the first time in their history alongside Arbil FC as last season champions.

Group B

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Iraq Al-Zawraa 6 4 1 1 8 3 +5 13
Lebanon Safa 6 4 0 2 5 3 +2 12
Yemen Al-Hilal Al-Sahili 6 2 1 3 5 7 2 7
Oman Al-Suwaiq 6 1 0 5 3 8 5 3
Source:
Al-Zawraa Iraq2 – 0Yemen Al-Hilal Al-Sahili
Salar Abdul-Jabar 6'
Omar Kadhim 88'
Summary
Report
Attendance: 150
Referee: United Arab Emirates Mohamed Al Zarouni

Safa Lebanon1 – 0Iraq Al-Zawraa
Guy Charles Jimgou 35' Report
Attendance: 700
Referee: Uzbekistan Vladislav Tseytlin

Al-Zawraa Iraq2 – 0Oman Al-Suwaiq
Haidar Sabah 29'
Sajjad Hussein 90+3'
Report
Attendance: 200
Referee: Iran Saeid Mozaffarizadehyazdi

Al-Suwaiq Oman0 – 1Iraq Al-Zawraa
Report Ahmad Ibrahim 56'
Attendance: 500
Referee: Jordan Mohammad Mousa Khalaf

Al-Hilal Al-Sahili Yemen1 – 1Iraq Al-Zawraa
Yaser Ba Suhai 76' Report Adnan Attiya 85'
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Syria Racho Abdulrrhman

Al-Zawraa Iraq2 – 1Lebanon Safa
Ous Ibrahim 45+2'
Mustafa Ahmad 90+5'
Report Khodor Salame 31'
Attendance: 300
Referee: Turkmenistan Kakabay Seydov

Round of 16

Al-Zawraa Iraq1 – 3Iraq Arbil
Adnan Attiya 76' Report Ahmad Salah 44'
Luay Salah 67'
Ahmad Abd Ali 70'

Top scorers (AFC Cup)

#
Pos
Player Name
Goal(s)
1
Iraq Adnan Attiya
2
2
Iraq Salar Abdul-Jabar
1
2
Iraq Mustafa Ahmad
1
2
Iraq Omar Kadhim
1
2
Iraq Haidar Sabah
1
2
Iraq Sajjad Hussein
1
2
Iraq Ahmad Ibrahim
1
2
Iraq Ous Ibrahim
1

References

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