2022–23 Iraqi First Division League Explained

Competition:Iraqi First Division League
Season:2022–23
Dates:18 November 2022 – 2 June 2023
Winners:Al-Minaa
(3rd title)
Promoted:Al-Minaa
Amanat Baghdad
Relegated:Al-Hawija
Al-Jinsiya
Al-Samawa
Al-Sulaikh
Matches:243
Total Goals:518
League Topscorer:Mohammed Hassan
(13 goals)
Biggest Home Win:Al-Minaa 5–0 Al-Sulaikh
(27 April 2023)
Biggest Away Win:Masafi Al-Junoob 0–3 Amanat Baghdad
(23 November 2022)
Al-Nasiriya 0–3 Diyala
(13 February 2023)
Al-Hawija 1–4 Samarra
(20 April 2023)
Afak 0–3 Al-Minaa
(21 April 2023)
Al-Hawija 1–4 Maysan
(1 May 2023)
Masafi Al-Wasat 0–3 Al-Minaa
(2 May 2023)
Highest Scoring:Al-Difaa Al-Madani 4–4 Al-Sinaat Al-Kahrabaiya
(1 March 2023)
Longest Wins:5 matches
Al-Minaa
Diyala
Longest Winless:8 matches
Al-Hawija
Al-Difaa Al-Madani
Longest Losses:5 matches
Al-Hawija
Al-Sulaikh
Prevseason:2021–22
Nextseason:2023–24
(Iraqi Premier Division League)

The 2022–23 Iraqi First Division League was the 49th season of what is now called the Iraqi Premier Division League, the second tier of the Iraqi football league system, since its establishment in 1974. The number of clubs in the league have varied throughout history for various reasons. The top two teams are promoted to the Iraq Stars League, while the bottom two teams in each group are directly relegated to the Iraqi Second Division League.[1]

In the last round of the league, in the Group 1, Amanat Baghdad was able to topped the group after achieving 38 points, while in the Group 2, Al-Minaa topped the group after achieving 46 points. Both teams were promoted to the Stars League,[2] [3] and it was decided that the final match between the two teams will be held in Baghdad on May 26, 2023 to determine the league champion.[4] [5] The Al-Minaa administration demanded that the match be transferred to Basra due to the large number of fans of the Al-Minaa, so that the match would be more attended,[6] and the Amanat Baghdad administration agreed to that.[7] Later, the Football Association decided that the match would be held on 2 June in Al-Fayhaa Stadium.[8]

In the final, Al-Minaa was able to defeat Amanat Baghdad, 2–1, and win the title. The goals of Al-Minaa were scored by Sajjad Alaa (6') and Salem Ahmed (37'), while the goal of Amanat Baghdad was scored by Karrar Ali Bari (53').[9] [10]

Al-Jinsiya (who withdrew from the start) and Al-Hawija from Group 1, and Al-Sulaikh and Al-Samawa from Group 2 were relegated to the Iraqi Second Division League after finishing in the bottom positions in the standings.[11]

Team changes

The following teams have changed division since the 2021–22 season:

Promoted from Iraqi Second Division League

Relegated from the Premier League

Promoted to the Premier League

Relegated to Iraqi Second Division League

Overview

Changes

In November 2020, The Iraq FA announced that the number of teams will decrease from 28 to 24 in total starting from 2021-2022 season. To make these changes possible, the Iraq FA announced that in 2022–23 season, a two teams are promoted to the Premier League, where the winner and runner-up of each group will play a play-off match, so that the winners will be promoted directly to the Premier League, while 6 teams in total are directly relegated to Second Division League.[12]

On April 8, 2023, the promotion and relegation mechanism was changed, and the Football Association announced the promotion of the winning team in each group directly to the Premier League, and the relegation of the last two teams in the standings in each group to the Second Division League, as a result, two teams are promote and 4 teams are relegate.[13] [14]

Developments

On December 27, 2022, the Iraq Football Association decided to stop the championship matches, starting from the ninth round, due to the holding of the Arabian Gulf Cup in Iraq, and decided that the championship would resume after the end of the Arabian Gulf Cup.[15] [16] Indeed, the ninth round of the championship resumed on January 18, 2023.[17]

Teams

A total of 24 teams are contesting the league, including 17 sides from the 2021–22 season and the 3 relegated sides from the Iraqi Premier League and the 4 promoted sides from the Iraqi Second Division League, because of the recent changes necessary to adjustment to having 24 teams possible this season. The teams were divided into two groups, and the draw was held on October 27, 2022,[18] [19] and it was decided that the championship will start on November 18, 2022.[20]

2022–23 season

TeamManagerLocationStadiumCapacity
Afak Hussein MohieAl-Kifl Stadium8,000
Al-Bahri Ahmed RahimAl-Bahri Stadium7,000
Adel AjerAl-Taji Stadium5,000
Ahmed Hassan Abdul-SahibBaghdad Al-Taji Stadium5,000
Al-Hawija Ali AbboudKirkukAl-Hawija Stadium5,000
Al-Hussein Sahl NaeemBaghdad Five Thousand Stadium5,000
Al-Jinsiya vacantBaghdad Al-Jinsiya Stadium5,000
Al-Jolan Mustafa KarimAl-Fallujah Stadium7,000
Al-Kufa Maitham JaberNajaf Stadium30,000
Al-Minaa Fareed MajeedBasra Al-Minaa Olympic Stadium30,000
Al-Muroor Rashid SultanBaghdad Al-Walaa Stadium5,000
Al-Nasiriya Aqeel MohammedDhi QarAn Nasiriya Stadium10,000
Al-Ramadi Jumaa JadeeaAl-Anbar Al Ramadi Stadium15,000
Al-Samawa Ali JawadMuthannaAl-Samawah Stadium15,000
Al-Sinaat Al-Kahrabaiya Mohammed Ali KarimBaghdad Al-Sinaa Stadium5,000
Al-Shirqat Farhan HamadAl-Shirqat Stadium5,000
Al-Sulaikh Muthana KhalidBaghdad Al-Sulaikh Stadium5,000
Amanat Baghdad Wissam TalibBaghdad Amanat Baghdad Stadium5,000
Diyala Sadeq HanoonDiyalaDiyala Stadium10,000
Masafi Al-Junoob Abdul Yemma WarwarBasra Masafi Al-Junoob Stadium5,000
Masafi Al-Wasat Ali MajeedBaghdad Al-Masafi Stadium5,000
Maysan Mizher RahimMaysanMaysan Stadium25,000
Peshmerga Sulaymaniya Qusay HashimSulaymaniyahPeshmerga Stadium10,000
Samarra Ali WahabSaladin Samarra Stadium10,000

Managerial changes

TeamOutgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in the groupIncoming managerDate of appointment
Al-Sinaat Al-Kahrabaiya Safaa AdnanSacked2 November 2022Pre-season Mudhafar Jabbar2 November 2022
Al-Ramadi Thair JassamSacked24 November 202211th Mohammed Hammad24 November 2022
Al-Samawa Aqeel GhaniSacked26 November 202210th Haider Hussien 26 November 2022
Samarra Nihad GhaziSacked2 December 20229th Zahed Qasim2 December 2022
Al-Nasiriya Dhiaa Abdul-Nabi Sacked6 December 202212th Mubarak Matar6 December 2022
Masafi Al-JunoobSacked14 December 202211th Abdul Yemma Warwar14 December 2022
Al-Samawa Haider Hussien Sacked15 December 202212th Ali Jawad19 December 2022
Al-Sulaikh Hazem SalehSacked19 December 202211th Muthana Khalid2 January 2023
Al-Jolan Ali WahabSacked26 December 20225th Mustafa Karim4 January 2023
Samarra Zahed QasimSacked3 January 202311th Ali Wahab3 January 2023
Al-Nasiriya Mubarak Matar End of interim spell12 January 202312th Mohsin Abdul-Nabi 12 January 2023
Al-Hawija Adel KhudhairSacked21 January 202310th Ali Abboud21 January 2023
Afak Haider AbbasSacked22 January 202310th Haider Hussein22 January 2023
Al-Ramadi Mohammed HammadSacked1 February 20235th Sadeq Hanoon1 February 2023
Al-Sinaat Al-Kahrabaiya Mudhafar JabbarMutual consent11 February 20235th Mohammed Ali Karim11 February 2023
Al-Nasiriya Mohsin Abdul-Nabi Mutual consent4 March 202311th Aqeel Mohammed 8 March 2023
Afak Haider HusseinSacked13 March 20238th Hussein Mohie13 March 2023
Al-Ramadi Sadeq HanoonMutual consent16 March 20237th Jumaa Jadeea17 March 2023
Al-Jolan Mustafa KarimMutual consent20 March 20231st Hazem Saleh20 March 2023
Al-Etisalat Hamza DawoodMutual consent30 March 202310th Ahmed Hassan Abdul-Sahib1 April 2023
Al-Jolan Hazem Saleh Mutual consent1 April 20232nd Mustafa Karim1 April 2023
Diyala Ali AbdullahSacked1 April 20233rd Sadeq Hanoon2 April 2023
Al-Minaa Basim QasimSacked20 May 20231st Fareed Majeed20 May 2023

League table

Group 1

Results

Group 2

Results

Final

GK 22 Ali Faisal
RB30 Karrar Jumaa
CB 42 Abdullah Mohsin (c)
CB 33 Abbas Yas
LB 36 Hassan Odah
CM 37 Haider Salem
CM 15 Mohammed Khudhair
CM 7
RF 12
CF 18 Salem Ahmed
LF 26
Substitutions:
GK 1 Jaafar Shenaishil
DF 17 Haider Sari
MF 28 Hamza Hadi Ahmed
MF 47 Mohammed Salah
DF 55
Manager:
Fareed Majeed
GK 21 Sarhang Muhsin (c)
RB 4 Milad Falah
CB 44 Mohammed Musa
CB 14 Yousef Al-Alousi
LB 13 Ayman Rezayej
CM 42 Babacar Charles Faye
CM 7 Sadia Olivier Bleu
CM 9 Karrar Ali Bari
RF 10 Jabbar Karim
CF 31 Oladayo Alabi
LF 11 Muntadhar Rahim
Substitutions:
MF 17 Mustafa Falah
GK 23 Munther Najem
FW 28 Mohammed Ahmed
DF 39 Ahmed Nadhim
MF 77
Manager:
Wissam Talib
Match officials
  • Assistant referees:
    • Akram Ismail
    • Ali Mazin
  • Fourth official: Wamidh Mahmoud

Match rules

  • 90 minutes.
  • Penalty shootout if scores still level.
  • Maximum of five substitutions

Season statistics

Top scorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Mohammed HassanMaysan13
2 Omar AttallahAl-Shirqat12
3 Salem AhmedAl-Minaa11
4 Ismaël Mohamed Al-Sinaat Al-Kahrabaiya8
Ali KarimDiyala
6 DioguinhoAl-Minaa7
Saleh MotlaqPeshmerga Sulaymaniya
Aba-Thar Abdul-SadaMasafi Al-Wasat
9 Michael OhanuAl-Bahri6
Al-Minaa
Mohammed Abbas Peshmerga Sulaymaniya
Donatus EdafeAl-Jolan

Hat-tricks

Player For Against Result Date
Abdullah AmmarAl-Difaa Al-MadaniAl-Etisalat3–0 (H)18 December 2022
Mohammed Hassan MaysanAl-Hawija4–1 (A)1 May 2023
Notes(H) – Home team
(A) – Away team

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: المسابقات تعلن مواعيد منهاجها الكروي للموسم المقبل. 2021-08-08. الاتحاد العراقي لكرة القدم. ar.
  2. Web site: أمانة بغداد يعود إلى منافسات الدوري الممتاز. 1 May 2023. alsumaria.tv. ar.
  3. Web site: رسمياً.. الميناء يعود الى الدوري الممتاز في الموسم المقبل. 2 May 2023. baghdadtoday.news. ar.
  4. Web site: اتحاد الكرة يحدّد موعد مباراة نهائي دوري الدرجة الأولى. May 16, 2023. imn.iq. ar.
  5. Web site: المسابقات تحدد موعد نهائي دوري الدرجة الأولى. May 16, 2023. almaalomah.me. ar.
  6. Web site: السفّانة يعلن بقاء مدربه ويوجه دعوة لإقامة لقائه الأخير في ملعب البصرة. May 4, 2023. shafaq.com. ar.
  7. Web site: أمانة بغداد يختار ملعب منافسه لاستضافة النهائي. May 17, 2023. kooora.com. ar.
  8. Web site: تحديد موعد إقامة نهائي دوري الدرجة الأولى لكرة القدم. May 28, 2023. ina.iq. ar.
  9. Web site: الميناء يتوج بطلا لدوري الدرجة الاولى بكرة القدم. 2 June 2023. ninanews.com. ar.
  10. Web site: الميناء يحرز لقب دوري الدرجة الاولى للموسم 2022/ 2023. 2 June 2023. al-mirbad.com. ar.
  11. Web site: تنظيم جيد لدوري المظاليم لكنه بحاجة إلى المزيد من الأضواء. 7 June 2023. azzaman-iraq.com. ar.
  12. Web site: اعتماد تصنيف وآلية وموعد انطلاق دوري الدرجة الأولى. 2021-08-10. الاتحاد العراقي لكرة القدم. ar.
  13. Web site: تغيير في آلية التأهل والهبوط بالدرجة الاولى. 8 April 2023. almaalomah.me. ar.
  14. Web site: بالوثيقة.. تغيير آلية الصعود والهبوط في الدوريين الممتاز والأول. 8 April 2023. baghdadtoday.news. ar.
  15. Web site: لجنة المسابقات تقرر تأجيل مباريات دوري الدرجة الأولى بسبب كأس الخليج. December 27, 2022. earthiq.news. ar.
  16. Web site: باستثناء مباراة واحدة.. اتحاد الكرة يعلن تأجيل دوري الدرجة الاولى. December 27, 2022. nnciraq.com. ar.
  17. Web site: أربعة انتصارات في دوري الدرجة الأولى لكرة القدم. January 27, 2023. shafaq.com. ar.
  18. Web site: ar:المسابقات تحدد موعد إجراء قرعة دوري الدرجة الأولى وكأس العراق. https://shafaq.com/ar/%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%80%D8%A7%D8%B6%D8%A9/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%82%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%AF%D8%AF-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B9%D8%AF-%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%B9%D8%A9-%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%AC%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%88%D9%84%D9%89-%D9%88%D9%83-%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82. shafaq.com. 17 October 2022. ar.
  19. Web site: ar:تعرف على نتائج قرعة دوري الدرجة الأولى العراقي. https://www.shafaq.com/ar/%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%80%D8%A7%D8%B6%D8%A9/%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%B1%D9%81-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%A7-%D8%AC-%D9%82%D8%B1%D8%B9%D8%A9-%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%AC%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84-%D9%88%D9%84%D9%89-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%8A. shafaq.com. 27 October 2022. ar.
  20. Web site: ar:تحديد موعد انطلاق دوري الدرجة الأولى. https://earthiq.news/archives/161946. earthiq.news. 7 November 2022. ar.