2015–16 Iraq FA Cup

The 2015–16 Iraq FA Cup was the 27th edition of the Iraqi knockout football cup as a clubs-only competition, the main domestic cup in Iraqi football. It was the second edition held after the 2002–03 edition, although the 2012–13 one was abandoned.

2015–16 Iraq FA Cup
Country Iraq
Dates5 October 2015 – 29 May 2016
Teams31
ChampionsAl-Quwa Al-Jawiya
(4th title)
Runners-upAl-Zawraa
Matches played37
Goals scored97 (2.62 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)Luay Salah
(6 goals)

At first, thirty-nine teams were set to participate in the competition, but after the withdrawals of many of the Iraqi Premier League teams, only days before the second round, clubs including Al-Shorta, Al-Talaba, Al-Hudood, Al-Sinaa, Naft Maysan, Al-Najaf, Zakho, and Al-Kahrabaa,[1] a total of twelve teams from the Iraqi Premier League and nineteen from Iraqi Division One ended up participating. It began on 5 October 2015 and ended on 29 May 2016 with the final at the Al-Shaab Stadium in Baghdad.

The winner of the competition was Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya who won their fourth cup by defeating record winners Al-Zawraa 2–0 in the final. Therefore, they qualified for the 2017 AFC Cup.

Format

Participation

The cup starts with a qualifying round of the 19 teams from the Iraqi Division One, 14 of which play against each other and 5 of which automatically proceed to the next round. The 20 (later becoming 12) teams from the Iraqi Premier League join the other teams in the Round of 32.[2]

Draw

For the first round, the participating teams will be split into two pots of 9 teams in one and 10 in the other. For the remaining rounds other than the final, the draw will be conducted from just one pot. The final is held in the Al-Shaab Stadium, a nominally neutral venue.

Match rules

Teams meet in one game in the first round, round of 32 and round of 16. In the quarterfinals and semifinals, the teams will have two-legged ties. The final will have only one-leg. A match will take place for 90 minutes, with two halves of 45 minutes. If still tied after regulation or tied on aggregate, the match will be decided by a penalty shootout. A coin toss will decide who takes the first penalty.

Cards

If a player receives a second yellow card, they will be banned from the next cup match. If a player receives a red card, they will be banned a minimum of one match, but more can be added by the Iraq Football Association.

Participating clubs

The following 31 teams participated in the competition:

Iraqi Premier League
12 clubs from the 2015–16 season		 Iraqi Division One
19 clubs from the 2015–16 season

Map
Locations of the 2015–16 Iraq FA Cup clubs
Baghdad teams Duhok teams Basra teams
Al-Zawraa
Amanat Baghdad
Al-Naft
Al-Oloom wal-Technologia
Al-Etisalat
Al-Jaish
Al-Karkh
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
Al-Difaa Al-Madani
Al-Hussein
Al-Khutoot
Al-Mahmoudiya
Al-Najda
Al-Saha
Al-Sulaikh		 Duhok
Kara		 Al-Minaa
Naft Al-Junoob

Schedule

The rounds of the 2015–16 competition are scheduled as follows:

Round Draw date and time Matches dates
First round 1 September 2015 5–6 October 2015
Second round 4 November 2015 10–12 November 2015
Round of 16 16–17 November 2015
Quarter-finals 15 December 2015 19 December 2015 – 2 January 2016
Semi-finals 21 December 2015 9–16 January 2016
Final 4 April 2016 29 May 2016

First round

The first round was drawn on 1 September 2015 at 12:00 in the Iraq Football Association building in Baghdad by the Director of the Competitions Committee Shihab Ahmed.[3] The matches took place from 5–6 October 2015.[4]

Diyala, Al-Sulaikh, Al-Saha, Balad, and Al-Kufa gained automatic qualification to the Second Round.

5 October 2015 Al-Khutoot 3–1 Ghaz Al-Shamal Baghdad
15:00 Radhi
Qasim
Saad 		Stadium: Amanat Baghdad Stadium
5 October 2015 Al-Jaish 0–0 (a.e.t.)
(W–L p)		 Al-Najda Baghdad
Stadium: Al-Jaish Stadium
5 October 2015 Al-Difaa Al-Madani 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(5–4 p)		 Al-Mahmoudiya Baghdad
14:30 Stadium: Haifa Stadium
Referee: Alaa Jawad
5 October 2015 Al-Oloom wal-Technologia 0–1 Shahraban Miqdadiya
14:00 Fuad Stadium: Shahraban Stadium
6 October 2015 Al-Etisalat 1–2 Al-Hussein Baghdad
93' Arzij
Abu Shaiba
6 October 2015 Qazaniya 1–2 Kara Mandali
Ismail
Khalaf
6 October 2015 Al-Sadda 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(L–W p)		 Al-Qasim Hilla
15:00 Stadium: Babil Stadium

Second round

The Second Round and the Round of 16 were drawn on 4 November 2015 at 12:00 in the Iraq Football Association building in Baghdad by the Director of the Competitions Committee Shihab Ahmed.[5] The matches took place from 10–12 November 2015.

Al-Khutoot, Naft Al-Junoob, Naft Al-Wasat, Al-Saha, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Jaish, Balad, and Duhok gained automatic qualification to the Round of 16 after the withdrawals of their respective opponents: Al-Shorta, Al-Talaba, Al-Hudood, Al-Sinaa, Naft Maysan, Al-Najaf, Zakho, and Al-Kahrabaa in the Second Round.

11 November 2015 Al-Hussein 2–1 Al-Minaa Baghdad
13:30 Taha
Sabri 		Sharif 21' Stadium: Al-Thawra Stadium
11 November 2015 Diyala 2–2 (a.e.t.)
(5–4 p)		 Kara Baquba
13:30

Stadium: Hibhib Stadium
11 November 2015 Al-Samawa 3–0 (w/o) Al-Qasim Samawa
13:30 Slal
Hussein
Mutha' 		Stadium: Al-Samawa Stadium
Note: Al-Qasim withdrew at half-time with the score at 3–1, therefore the match was awarded as a 3–0 win for Al-Samawa.
11 November 2015 Al-Kufa 1–2 (a.e.t.) Amanat Baghdad Najaf
13:30 27' Ahmad 85'
Falah 108'		 Stadium: Al-Kufa Stadium
12 November 2015 Al-Karkh 2–1 Erbil Baghdad
13:30 Majid 36'
Saad 47'		 Mustafa 88' Stadium: Al-Karkh Stadium
12 November 2015 Al-Naft 4–0 Shahraban Baghdad
13:30 Raad
Ubaid
Ayid
Qasim 		Stadium: Al-Naft Stadium
12 November 2015 Al-Sulaikh 0–1 Karbala Baghdad
13:30 Abu Shama 89' Stadium: Al-Tahaddi Stadium

    Round of 16

    Round of 16 matches took place from 16–17 November 2015.

    16 November 2015 Al-Zawraa 4–0 Diyala Baghdad
    13:30 Salah
    Hatem Zaidan     		Stadium: Al-Sinaa Stadium
    16 November 2015 Naft Al-Junoob 1–0 Al-Samawa Basra
    13:30 Ali Stadium: Al Fayhaa Stadium
    16 November 2015 Al-Hussein 3–0 Balad Baghdad
    13:30 Abd Ali
    Taha
    Ziyad     		Stadium: Five Thousand Stadium
    16 November 2015 Al-Saha 0–1 Amanat Baghdad Baghdad
    13:30 Abbas Stadium: Al-Saha Stadium
    17 November 2015 Naft Al-Wasat 0–2 Al-Karkh Najaf
    13:30 Saad
    Majid     		Stadium: Al-Najaf Stadium
    17 November 2015 Duhok 2–1 Al-Naft Duhok
    13:30 Mushir 28' (p)
    Ismail 74'    		 Mshari 64' Stadium: Duhok Stadium
    17 November 2015 Al-Khutoot 1–0 Karbala Baghdad
    13:30 Stadium: Al-Karkh Stadium

    Quarter-finals

    The draw for the quarterfinals was held on 15 December 2015 at 12:00 in the Iraq Football Association building in Baghdad by the Director of the Competitions Committee Shihab Ahmed.[6] The matches took place from 19–27 December 2015.

    First legs
    Al-Khutoot0–1Duhok
    Mushir 45'
    University of Baghdad Stadium, Baghdad
    Naft Al-Junoob3–2Amanat Baghdad
    Mubarak 3'
    Abdel-Salam 45'
    Kadhim 74'    		 Report Mohammed 20' (p)
    Amado 65'
    Naft Al-Junoob Stadium, Basra
    Al-Hussein2–1Al-Zawraa
    Kareem 65'
    Raad 89'    		 Report Abdul-Zahra 74'
    Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya1–1Al-Karkh
    Abdulwahid 65' Backer 43'

    Second legs
    Duhok2–2Al-Khutoot
    Khalid 52'
    Mushir 89' (p)    		 Karim 34'
    Saad 40' (p)

    Duhok won 3–2 on aggregate.

    Amanat Baghdad1–3Naft Al-Junoob
    Nasr-Allah 49' Salam 24'
    Awdah 76'
    Jawad 88'

    Naft Al-Junoob won 6–3 on aggregate.

    Al-Zawraa3–1Al-Hussein
    Jafal (p)
    Salah
    Zaidan     		Taha

    Al-Zawraa won 4–3 on aggregate.

    Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya won 2–1 on aggregate.

    Semi-finals

    First legs
    Naft Al-Junoob0–2Al-Zawraa
    Report Salah 42'
    Ali 76'
    Naft Al-Junoob Stadium, Basra
    Duhok4–1Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
    Ibrahim 10'
    Al Douni 30'
    Mushir 62' (p)
    Mamoun 79'    		 Report Hassan 25'
    Referee: Nozad Salih

    Second legs
    Al-Zawraa2–1Naft Al-Junoob
    Abdul-Zahra 31', 63' Report Awda 87'

    Al-Zawraa won 4–1 on aggregate.

    4–4 on aggregate. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya won on away goals.

    Final
    Main article: 2016 Iraq FA Cup Final
    Al-Zawraa0–2Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
    Rasan 58'
    Tariq 90+4'
    Saeed Yellow card 89' Yellow-red card 90+6'
    Iraq FA Cup
    2015–16 winner
    Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
    4th title

    Bracket

    From the Round of 16 onwards:

    Round of 16
    16–17 November 2015     		Quarter-finals
    19 December 2015 – 2 January 2016     		Semi-finals
    9–16 January 2016     		Final
    29 May 2016
                
    Naft Al-Junoob 1
    Al-Samawa 0
    Naft Al-Junoob 3 3 6
    Amanat Baghdad 2 1 3
    Al-Saha 0
    Amanat Baghdad 1
    Naft Al-Junoob 0 1 1
    Al-Zawraa 2 2 4
    Al-Hussein 3
    Balad 0
    Al-Hussein 2 1 3
    Al-Zawraa 1 3 4
    Al-Zawraa 4
    Diyala 0
    Al-Zawraa 0
    Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 2
    Al-Khutoot 1
    Karbala 0
    Al-Khutoot 0 2 2
    Duhok 1 2 3
    Duhok 2
    Al-Naft 1
    Duhok 4 0 4
    Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya (a) 1 3 4
    Naft Al-Wasat 0
    Al-Karkh 2
    Al-Karkh 1 0 1
    Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 1 1 2
    Al-Jaish 1
    Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 3

    Broadcasting rights

    The broadcasting rights were bought by Ishtar Cinema Production Co. Ltd from the Iraq Football Association for five seasons in the start of the 2015–16 season.[7] Al-Iraqiya Sport signed a protocol with the company to televise the FA Cup and the Iraqi Premier League matches. From the first round until the second legs of the semifinals, no channel was interested in buying the FA Cup matches' rights. On 10 January 2016, Al-Iraqiya Sport bought the rights of the last three games of the competition.[8] However, the administrative board of Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya refused to televise their match against Duhok on live TV.[9] On 4 April, the director of the production company, Mohammed Haijal, announced that the broadcasting rights of the final were given to Al-Kass Sports Channel.[10]

    Round Live TV games
    Al-Iraqiya Sport Channel
    Semifinals Al-Zawraa vs Naft Al-Junoob
    beIN Sports
    Al-Kass Sports Channel
    Al-Iraqiya Sport Channel
    Final Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya vs Al-Zawraa

    References
    1. "Al-Zawra'a defeat Al-Difaa Al-Madani and reach the Round of 16 for the Iraq FA Cup". Moujaz Al-Iraq (in Arabic). November 10, 2015.
    2. "The draw of the first round of the Iraq FA Cup is over with the participation of 19 teams" (in Arabic). Hamrin News. Al-Mada Press. September 1, 2015.
    3. "Today, the football association hold the FA Cup conference" (in Arabic). Albaghdadia News. September 1, 2015. Archived from the original on September 3, 2015. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
    4. "Hot ties in the draw of the FA Cup" (in Arabic). Ahrar Al-Iraq. September 2, 2015.
    5. "Today, the FA draws the Second Round of the Iraq FA Cup" (November 4, 2015). Iraq News Network (in Arabic).
    6. "Football Association set the dates of the FA Cup matches". Moujaz Al-Iraq (in Arabic). December 15, 2015. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
    7. "Ishtar to broadcast the Iraqi Premier League". Al-Amal Sport (in Arabic). October 13, 2015. Archived from the original on September 7, 2020.
    8. "Ishtar Cinema Production Co. Ltd". Facebook (in Arabic). January 10, 2016.
    9. Essa, Sami (January 16, 2016). "Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya refuse to televise their match against Duhok in the cup". Kooora (in Arabic).
    10. "Mohammed Haijal". Facebook (in Arabic). April 4, 2016.
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