Hashim Fires 25-Yard Goal for Iraq After Al-Hamadi Chance

Q: After battling a European giant to a draw, can Iraq defy predictions and escape the World Cup's 'Group of Death'?

Iraq can still qualify, but the draw with Norway does not change the basic picture: escaping Group I would remain a major upset. The 2-2 opener showed why Iraq cannot be dismissed. They recovered twice against a Norway side led by Erling Haaland, with Aymen Hussein equalizing before Akam Hashim’s stoppage-time strike capped a bold first-half response. Holding a European team that swept qualifying 8-0-0 is a credible result, especially for a nation playing its first World Cup in 40 years. That said, the group remains brutal. France are still one of the tournament favorites, Senegal are African champions with pace and defensive strength, and Norway’s attack is among the most dangerous in the field. Pre-tournament assessments had Iraq as the outsider in the section, with some analysts projecting their best-case scenario as a single surprise result rather than a top-two finish. What the Norway match did prove is that Iraq have a viable path if they stay compact, defend with discipline and take their moments. Graham Arnold’s side has enough edge in transition through Ali Al-Hamadi, Aymen Hussein and Zidane Iqbal to trouble stronger opponents, and the late equalizer underlined their resilience. But one point is only a platform, not a breakthrough. To get out, Iraq will likely need at least one win from Senegal or France and probably another result elsewhere. After this draw, qualification looks possible in theory, but still unlikely in practice.

3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 16

45+5 minutes into Iraq’s World Cup match, Hashim blasted a 25-yard shot into the back supports of the net to score.
The goal came seconds after a through ball sent Al-Hamadi clear 1v1, but he hesitated and saw his shot deflected behind for a corner.
That corner was only partially cleared, allowing Hashim to strike from distance with enough force that the broadcast score bug briefly flipped from 1 to 2 for Iraq.