2000–01 Iraqi Elite League

The 2000–01 Iraqi Elite League was the 27th season of the competition since its foundation in 1974. The name of the league was changed from Iraqi First Division to Iraqi Elite League. Instead of relegating teams from the 1999–2000 season and promoting teams from the lower division in order to decide which teams were playing in the competition, the Iraq Football Association decided that every eligible team in the country from every division should play qualifying games in order to decide who participated.

Iraqi Premier League

Season	2000–01
Champions	Al-Zawraa (10th title)
Relegated	Al-Kut Karbalaa
2002–03 AFC Champions League	Al-Zawraa
Top goalscorer	Hussein Abdullah (22 goals)
← 1999–2000 2001–02 →

The qualifying rounds saw a total of 135 teams being split into regional groups, all competing for the 16 places in the league.[1] After all the qualifiers were over in December, the league competition itself was held with each team playing 30 matches. In the end, Al-Zawraa won their third league title in a row, finishing eight points clear at the top.[2][3]

Regional qualifiers

First round

In the first qualifying round, each province apart from Baghdad and Sulaymaniya had its own qualifying tournament with the winner advancing to the second qualifying round.

Province	Winner	Notes
Al-Anbar	Al-Ramadi
Al-Qadisiya	Al-Diwaniya
Babil	Al-Qasim	Al-Qasim played Al-Hilla in a two-legged play-off which ended 1–1 on aggregate; Al-Qasim qualified on away goals. Other competing teams included Babil
Basra	Al-Minaa	Al-Minaa played Al-Basra in a two-legged play-off; both legs ended in draws and Al-Minaa won 1–0 via a golden goal in extra-time. Other competing teams included Al-Bahri and Al-Ittihad
Dhi Qar	Al-Nasiriya
Diyala	Al-Khalis	Other competing teams included Diyala, who withdrew
Duhok	Duhok	Other competing teams included Zakho and Peris
Erbil	Erbil
Karbalaa	Karbalaa	Other competing teams included Al-Hindiya, Al-Jamahir and Al-Husseiniya
Kirkuk	Kirkuk
Maysan	Maysan	Other competing teams included Al-Amara
Muthanna	Al-Samawa
Najaf	Al-Najaf
Nineveh	Al-Mosul	Al-Mosul played Al-Hikna in a two-legged play-off; both legs ended in draws and Al-Mosul qualified on away goals
Salahaddin	Samaraa	Other competing teams included Salahaddin
Wasit	Al-Kut
Baghdad – All 35 teams admitted directly to final qualifying round
Sulaymaniya – Al-Sulaymaniya admitted directly to final qualifying round

Second round

In the second qualifying round, which started in September and ended in December, the remaining teams were split into five regional groups. The two Baghdad groups were played in a single round-robin format (teams played each other once) while the other three groups were played in a double round-robin format (teams played each other twice).[4][5][6]

Central Group

Team	Result
Al-Najaf	Qualified to League
Al-Ramadi
Karbalaa
Al-Khalis
Al-Qasim

South Group

Team	Result
Al-Kut	Qualified to League
Al-Samawa
Al-Minaa
Maysan
Al-Nasiriya
Al-Diwaniya

North Group

Team	Result
Duhok	Qualified to League
Samaraa
Erbil
Kirkuk
Al-Mosul
Al-Sulaymaniya

Baghdad Group 1

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Al-Shorta	17	16	1	0	82	8	+74	49	Qualified to League
2	Al-Karkh	17	15	2	0	83	13	+70	47
3	Al-Zawraa	17	14	1	2	80	7	+73	43
4	Al-Jaish	17	12	2	3	42	16	+26	38	Qualified to Play-off
5	Al-Sinaa	17	10	4	3	42	20	+22	34
6	Al-Kadhimiya	17	9	5	3	40	14	+26	32
7	Al-Nahdha	17	8	4	5	32	27	+5	28
8	Al-Umal	17	7	5	5	38	29	+9	26
9	Al-Siyaha	17	8	1	8	22	33	−11	25
10	Al-Amana	17	6	6	5	39	32	+7	24
11	Al-Shabab	17	6	4	7	17	20	−3	22
12	Al-Bareed	17	5	3	9	23	47	−24	18
13	Al-Khutoot	17	5	2	10	24	41	−17	17
14	Al-Hudood	17	4	1	12	27	51	−24	13
15	Al-Adhamiya	17	1	3	13	15	75	−60	6
16	Tayaran Al-Jaish	17	1	2	14	10	55	−45	5
17	Al-Shaheed Dulaf	17	1	1	15	13	72	−59	4
18	Al-Madain	17	1	1	15	9	78	−69	4

Source: Al-Shameri Archive

Results

Home \ Away	ADH	AMN	BRD	HUD	KDH	KKH	KHT	JSH	MDN	NDH	SHB	SHD	SHR	SIN	SIY	UML	ZWR	TYJ
Al-Adhamiya				3–9	0–4		0–2				0–3	2–2						1–1
Al-Amana	8–0		1–1	5–4			3–3		4–1		2–1	5–2			0–2	1–1	2–2
Al-Bareed	2–1			4–2	1–1				1–0			2–0		1–3
Al-Hudood					1–1					0–3	0–1				1–2			1–0
Al-Kadhimiya		1–1					3–1	0–3			1–0			0–0		1–0	0–2
Al-Karkh	14–2	4–0	5–1	4–1	0–0		5–1		10–2	3–1	3–0	6–0			5–0	7–3	1–0	5–1
Al-Khutoot			5–0	1–2					1–0		0–0	2–0	1–7		0–1			3–0
Al-Jaish	5–1	2–1	6–3	3–1		0–5	4–2		5–0	0–0	1–0	6–0	0–1		5–0		0–2	1–0
Al-Madain	0–3			1–0	0–7					2–5	0–2		0–7		0–3
Al-Nahdha	4–1	1–1	3–0		1–5		3–1							1–1				4–1
Al-Shabab			1–1							1–0					1–1
Al-Shaheed Dulaf				1–2	0–5				4–2	0–2	1–3
Al-Shorta	8–0	2–1	7–1	10–1	4–1	0–0				4–0	4–1	8–1				4–0		6–0
Al-Sinaa	4–0	3–1		2–1		1–6	4–0	0–0	7–0		1–0	6–0	0–5		2–0	0–0		7–0
Al-Siyaha	2–1		4–0		0–5					0–1		3–0	1–4			0–2
Al-Umal	0–0		5–2	3–1			2–1	0–1	8–0	3–3	1–1	8–0						2–1
Al-Zawraa	7–0		3–0[lower-alpha 1]	7–0			7–0		11–1	4–0	4–0	6–0	0–1	5–1	6–1	6–0		8–0
Tayaran Al-Jaish		2–3	0–3		0–5				0–0		0–2	4–2			0–2

Source: Al-Shameri Archive
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Notes:

1. The Al-Zawraa–Al-Bareed match was awarded as a 3–0 win to Al-Zawraa after the game had originally ended in a 0–0 draw.

Baghdad Group 2

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Al-Talaba	16	15	0	1	82	4	+78	45	Qualified to League
2	Al-Naft	16	14	2	0	52	2	+50	44
3	Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya	16	14	1	1	65	7	+58	43
4	Al-Difaa Al-Jawi	16	12	2	2	60	13	+47	38	Qualified to Play-off
5	Al-Shuala	16	9	1	6	28	18	+10	28
6	Al-Majd	16	7	3	6	36	23	+13	24
7	Haifa	16	7	3	6	21	24	−3	24
8	Al-Sulaikh	16	7	1	8	34	28	+6	22
9	Al-Mahmoudiya	16	6	4	6	13	25	−12	22
10	Tamouz	16	5	4	7	19	29	−10	19
11	Abu Ghraib	16	4	3	9	19	51	−32	15
12	Al-Qaqaa	16	4	3	9	15	49	−34	15
13	Al-Tijara	16	4	2	10	11	32	−21	14
14	Al-Hurriya	16	3	3	10	19	42	−23	12
15	Batal Al-Tahreer	16	3	1	12	15	52	−37	10
16	Al-Salama	16	3	1	12	16	58	−42	10
17	Al-Saqr Al-Arabi	16	1	2	13	13	61	−48	5

Source: Al-Shameri Archive

Results

Home \ Away	ABU	DIF	HUR	MAH	MJD	NFT	QQA	QWJ	SLM	SQR	SHL	SLK	TLB	TJR	BTL	HFA	TMZ
Abu Ghraib		1–7			1–1		1–2		5–2	2–2	0–4			2–1	2–2
Al-Difaa Al-Jawi					2–1	1–1			11–0			2–0	0–2		3–0
Al-Hurriya	3–1	0–5					1–2	0–3	2–0			2–6			4–2
Al-Mahmoudiya	1–0	3–3	1–0				0–0			1–0	0–3	1–1				0–0	2–1
Al-Majd			1–0	0–1			4–0		5–3	7–2				3–0		1–1	1–1
Al-Naft	7–0		7–0	4–0	2–0		4–0		4–0	7–0	1–0	3–1		2–0	2–0	2–0	5–0
Al-Qaqaa		0–5							2–1	3–2	0–2				1–2
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya	6–0	4–2		5–1	1–0	0–0	6–0		7–1	7–1	1–0	6–0	0–1	5–0		2–0
Al-Salama				0–1						3–1			0–10	1–0			2–2
Al-Saqr Al-Arabi		0–8	2–2									1–4		2–1		0–1
Al-Shuala		0–1	3–1		2–1				2–0	1–0		2–0		1–2	3–1		1–2
Al-Sulaikh	2–0				1–3		5–1		4–0					1–0	7–1		1–2
Al-Talaba	9–0		5–1	5–0	5–1	0–1	9–0			8–0	4–0	3–1		5–0	6–0	6–0	4–0
Al-Tijara		0–6	1–1	1–0			2–2								2–0		0–1
Batal Al-Tahreer				2–1	1–7			0–7	0–2	2–0						1–3	1–2
Haifa	1–2	1–2	3–2				3–0		2–1		4–4	1–0		0–1			1–0
Tamouz	1–2	0–2	0–0				2–2	1–5		4–0

Source: Al-Shameri Archive
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Play-off round

In the play-off round, the two fourth-placed teams from the Baghdad Groups faced off in a two-legged tie to determine the seventh qualifying team from Baghdad.

10 December 2000

Al-Difaa Al-Jawi	0–1	Al-Jaish

Al-Shorta Stadium, Baghdad

14 December 2000

Al-Jaish	1–2	Al-Difaa Al-Jawi

Al-Jaish Stadium, Baghdad

2–2 on aggregate. Al-Difaa Al-Jawi won on away goals and qualified for the League.

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Al-Zawraa (C)	30	23	1	6	80	24	+56	70	2002–03 AFC Champions League preliminary round 3[lower-alpha 1]
2	Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya	30	18	8	4	53	24	+29	62
3	Al-Shorta	30	19	3	8	60	26	+34	60
4	Al-Talaba	30	17	9	4	42	22	+20	60
5	Duhok	30	16	7	7	44	24	+20	55
6	Al-Najaf	30	15	7	8	31	16	+15	52
7	Al-Karkh	30	14	8	8	48	33	+15	50
8	Al-Difaa Al-Jawi	30	13	9	8	33	29	+4	48
9	Al-Minaa	30	10	10	10	24	26	−2	40
10	Samaraa	30	10	6	14	34	49	−15	36
11	Al-Naft	30	8	10	12	31	40	−9	34
12	Erbil	30	6	11	13	24	46	−22	29
13	Al-Samawa	30	6	8	16	26	37	−11	26
14	Al-Ramadi	30	6	4	20	31	66	−35	22
15	Al-Kut	30	3	3	24	17	56	−39	12	Relegated to Iraq Division One
16	Karbalaa	30	3	2	25	16	76	−60	11

Source: Al-Shameri Archive
(C) Champion.
Notes:

1. Iraq were given two slots for the 2002–03 AFC Champions League, therefore 2000–01 league champions Al-Zawraa were admitted to the qualifying round and 2001–02 league champions Al-Talaba entered the group stage.

Results

Home \ Away	DIF	KKH	KUT	MIN	NFT	NJF	QWJ	RMA	SMA	SHR	TLB	ZWR	DHK	ERB	KRB	SMR
Al-Difaa Al-Jawi		3–1	1–0	0–0	1–0	1–0	0–2	3–0	1–0	1–3	1–1	2–1	2–1	2–0	3–0	1–0
Al-Karkh	2–2		1–0	2–1	1–0	1–2	2–1	3–2	0–0	1–2	0–0	1–0	1–3	2–0	7–0	5–1
Al-Kut	1–1	2–1		0–2	0–2	0–2	0–1	2–1	1–0	0–3	0–1	1–6	0–1	0–1	0–1	0–2
Al-Minaa	1–0	1–4	2–0		1–0	0–1	0–0	2–2	1–0	1–1	3–0	0–1	0–0	0–0	1–0	0–0
Al-Naft	1–1	1–1	2–1	3–0		2–1	0–1	4–2	0–0	0–3	1–2	2–4	2–1	1–1	0–0	1–1
Al-Najaf	1–0	4–0	1–0	2–0	0–0		0–0	4–1	2–0	0–2	0–0	1–0	0–0	1–0	1–0	1–0
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya	1–1	1–1	3–0	0–0	2–0	2–1		4–3	4–0	1–0	2–0	2–2	4–0	0–0	2–0	5–1
Al-Ramadi	0–1	1–2	2–1	1–2	1–1	1–1	1–0		2–1	0–2	0–2	1–0	0–3	2–2	1–0	1–2
Al-Samawa	1–0	0–1	1–1	1–1	1–3	0–0	0–1	9–0		0–0	1–3	1–3	0–0	1–0	1–0	2–0
Al-Shorta	2–2	0–1	5–1	1–0	1–0	3–0	1–2	1–0	3–0		2–3	2–1	2–1	5–1	2–0	1–3
Al-Talaba	1–1	1–1	3–1	1–1	1–0	1–0	3–0	2–0	2–0	2–0		1–0	0–1	2–2	0–0	3–0
Al-Zawraa	5–0	3–2	2–1	3–0	5–0	1–0	4–2	2–1	2–0	2–0	3–0		4–0	5–2	8–0	6–2
Duhok	2–0	1–0	1–1	2–0	4–0	0–0	1–1	2–0	2–0	3–0	0–2	0–1		2–0	5–1	2–0
Erbil	1–1	0–0	2–1	0–2	1–1	0–2	0–1	2–1	3–2	0–3	1–1	0–4	1–1		2–0	0–0
Karbalaa	0–1	0–3	3–2	0–2	0–2	0–3	1–5	2–4	0–3	0–7	1–3	0–1	1–3	0–1		5–1
Samaraa	1–0	1–1	2–0	1–0	2–2	1–0	2–3	4–0	1–1	0–3	0–1	0–1	1–2	3–1	2–1

Source: Al-Shameri Archive
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top goalscorers

Pos	Scorer	Goals	Team
1	Hussein Abdullah	22	Duhok
2	Ahmed Khudhair	19	Al-Shorta
3	Ammar Ahmad	14	Al-Zawraa

References

1. "The Iraqi League with its new system kicks off December 25". Al-Awsat. 14 December 2000.
2. Al-Sabti, Ali (2014). Iraqi League History 1974-2011. Iraq.
3. Al-Munshi, Dr.Dhia (2005). Iraqi Football Encyclopedia: Chico.. Jamoli… and football in Iraq. Citadel Printing & Design, Al-Saadoun, Baghdad.
4. "Baghdad draw". IraqSport. Archived from the original on 2000-10-22.
5. "Next Monday, the Baghdad Groups will start". IraqSport. 31 August 2000.
6. "Al-Talaba are champions of the second Baghdad group". IraqSport. Archived from the original on 2000-12-02.

External links

• Iraqi Football Website