Iraq – IN a sign that normality is returning to Iraq, the much delayed Iraq Cup has been completed, with Al Talaba retaining the trophy they won last year.

The country’s premier knockout competition had been delayed at the semi-final stage due to the outbreak of hostilities, but officials now in charge of the Iran FA (IFA) decided the competition should be seen through to its climax, despite the extended break. The one concession the organisers did make to the continued questions marks over security was to move the final games to the Arbil, in the north of the country.

In the semi-finals, Talaba, strengthened by the return of Younis Mahmoud and Haidar Adul Razzaq from their preparations with the Iraq Olympic team, beat Al Minaa 1-0 to book a place in the final.

In the second semi, Iraqi league champions Al Shorta came up against minnows Al Nafat. The Police were bolstered by the presence of internationals Abbas Rahim, Ahmed Khadim, Mohanad Mohammed Ali, Ammar Abdul Hussein and Taiseer Abdul Hussein, all of whom are in the national squad for the friendly against Jordan today (Tuesday). Al Shorta won the match 3-2 to send them to their fifth Iraq Cup final.

The final, a re-run of last year’s final, was once again won by Al Talaba. In front of 10,000 fans in the Martyr Franso Hariri Stadium, Talaba’s Ahmed Salah’s goal in the 20th minute was enough to secure the Students their second Iraq Cup trophy.

The Iraq national and Olympic teams have a busy international schedule ahead of them, with qualifying games for next year’s Asian Cup and next year’s Olympic Games scheduled for September.

Iraq face Malaysia, Bahrain and Myanmar for a place at next year’s Asian Cup, while Adnan Hamad’s Olympic team play Vietnam on September 10 and 17 in a delayed First Round match. The winners play DPR Korea in October with a place in the final Asian round of qualifying scheduled for next spring.

Meanwhile, the IFA have announced that they hope to start the new 2003/4 Iraqi league season in October. Exact dates have yet to be announced. The 2002/3 season was cut short due to hostilities, with Al Shorta declared winners after two-third of the fixtures had been completed.