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Iraq back in soccer
13/08/2003 17:27 - (SA)
Teheran - The Iraqi national football team will play its first match since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime when they take on neighbours Iran as part of a four team tournament in Teheran on Wednesday.
Iraq, coached by German Bernd Stange, will meet hosts Iran at the LG Cup in Teheran, while in the other game Cameroon take on Uruguay. The winners of both matches then meet in the final on Friday to play for the $50 000 dollars in prize money.
Former East Germany coach Stange said that even though his team had only been training for the last six weeks, their performances in Teheran would show where the team stands ahead of forthcoming qualification games for the Asian championships and next year's Olympics in Athens.
"The guys (of the Iraqi team) have gone through very hard times and now we want to begin a new era and forget the past," said Stange.
The Iranian team will have all its players at its disposal, except the two German legionnaires Mehdi Mahdavikia (Hamburg) and Vahid Hashemian (Bochum), who weren't released by their clubs. - Sapa-DPA
- SAPA
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