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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Erbil hosted an important Asian football event on Monday afternoon between Iraq's Al Shorta and Iranian giant Esteghlal, with the teams drawing 1-1.
Baghdad's Al Shorta secured the draw with a penalty goal from Ali Faez 48 minutes into the match at Franso Hariri Stadium.
The first round of the Asia Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League took place on Monday across Asia, and is the continent's most prestigious football championship.
The two rivals arrived in Erbil over the weekend while supporters flocked to Erbil to witness the historic event.
As expected, a large number of Kurds in the Kurdistan Region came out to support Estighlal, who count three Kurds among their ranks.
The team’s captain, Diyar Ghafuri, hails from the Iranian Kurdish capital of Sanandaj.
A Kurdish family of five traveled 284 kilometers from Mahabad in Iran to attend the match.
"We came to support Mr. Wriya Ghafuri. We hope he will be successful," a woman from the family told Rudaw hours before the match started.
"We came due to Wriya Ghafuri. We are asking him; please score and make us happy," said her son, who is named after the star.
Al-Shorta is Iraq’s most successful team, winning the 2018-2019 Iraqi Premier League.
The match was originally scheduled to take place in Karbala but was relocated to Erbil due to ongoing violent protests in the holy Shiite city.
One day before the match started, Estighlal’s media officer Mohammed Nufar criticized the quality of the pitch at the Erbil stadium.
"The Esteghlal club's technical committee came on the pitch and found that it was not suitable and in a very bad state," Nurfar told Rudaw.
He added, however, that they received a warm welcome upon their arrival to Erbil.
"The people of Erbil and Iranians living here received us very warmly," he said. "We already expected that the majority of the fans will support us in the match."
Asian Champions League is an annual continental competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The Asia Champion League was first introduced in 2002 as continuation of the Asian Club Championship, established in 1967.
The winner of the AFC Champions League qualifies for the FIFA Club World Cup.
The most successful clubs in the competition are Saudi's Al-Hilal and the Pohang Steelers from South Korea with a total of three titles each.
Baghdad's Al Shorta secured the draw with a penalty goal from Ali Faez 48 minutes into the match at Franso Hariri Stadium.
The first round of the Asia Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League took place on Monday across Asia, and is the continent's most prestigious football championship.
The two rivals arrived in Erbil over the weekend while supporters flocked to Erbil to witness the historic event.
As expected, a large number of Kurds in the Kurdistan Region came out to support Estighlal, who count three Kurds among their ranks.
The team’s captain, Diyar Ghafuri, hails from the Iranian Kurdish capital of Sanandaj.
A Kurdish family of five traveled 284 kilometers from Mahabad in Iran to attend the match.
"We came to support Mr. Wriya Ghafuri. We hope he will be successful," a woman from the family told Rudaw hours before the match started.
"We came due to Wriya Ghafuri. We are asking him; please score and make us happy," said her son, who is named after the star.
Al-Shorta is Iraq’s most successful team, winning the 2018-2019 Iraqi Premier League.
The match was originally scheduled to take place in Karbala but was relocated to Erbil due to ongoing violent protests in the holy Shiite city.
One day before the match started, Estighlal’s media officer Mohammed Nufar criticized the quality of the pitch at the Erbil stadium.
"The Esteghlal club's technical committee came on the pitch and found that it was not suitable and in a very bad state," Nurfar told Rudaw.
He added, however, that they received a warm welcome upon their arrival to Erbil.
"The people of Erbil and Iranians living here received us very warmly," he said. "We already expected that the majority of the fans will support us in the match."
Asian Champions League is an annual continental competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The Asia Champion League was first introduced in 2002 as continuation of the Asian Club Championship, established in 1967.
The winner of the AFC Champions League qualifies for the FIFA Club World Cup.
The most successful clubs in the competition are Saudi's Al-Hilal and the Pohang Steelers from South Korea with a total of three titles each.
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