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 team in the country from every division should play qualifying games in order to decide who participated.

Iraqi Premier League
Season2000–01
ChampionsAl-Zawraa
(10th title)
RelegatedAl-Kut
Karbalaa
2002–03 AFC Champions LeagueAl-Zawraa
Top goalscorerHussein Abdullah
(22 goals)

The qualifying rounds started in September and saw a total of 135 teams being split into groups based on geographical position, all competing for the 16 places in the league. After all the qualifiers were over in December, the league competition itself was played and was 30 rounds long. In the end, Al-Zawraa won their third league title in a row, finishing a comfortable eight points clear of their rivals. Al-Zawraa's record in the qualifying round was 17 matches, 14 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses, 80 goals scored, 6 goals conceded, +74 goal difference and 43 points.[1][2][3]

Qualifiers

First qualifying round

In the first qualifying round, each province (apart from Baghdad and Sulaymaniya) had its own group with the highest-placed team in each group qualifying to the final qualifying round.

Province Group winner Notes
Al-AnbarAl-Ramadi
Al-QadisiyaAl-Diwaniya
BabilAl-QasimAl-Qasim played Al-Hilla in a two-legged play-off which ended 1–1 on aggregate; Al-Qasim qualified on away goals. Other teams in the group included Babil
BaghdadAll 35 teams admitted directly to final qualifying round
BasraAl-MinaaAl-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 teams in the group included Al-Bahri and Al-Ittihad
Dhi QarAl-Nasiriya
DiyalaAl-KhalisOther teams in the group included Diyala, who withdrew
DuhokDuhokOther teams in the group included Zakho and Peris
ErbilErbil
KarbalaaKarbalaaOther teams in the group included Al-Hindiya, Al-Jamahir and Al-Husseiniya
KirkukKirkuk
MaysanMaysanOther teams in the group included Al-Amara
MuthannaAl-Samawa
NajafAl-Najaf
NinevehAl-MosulAl-Mosul played Al-Hikna in a two-legged play-off; both legs ended in draws and Al-Mosul qualified on away goals
SalahaddinSamaraaOther teams in the group included Salahaddin
SulaymaniyaAl-Sulaymaniya admitted directly to final qualifying round
WasitAl-Kut

Final qualifying round

In the final qualifying round, the 52 remaining teams were split into five groups based on geographical location.

North Group
TeamResult
DuhokQualified to League
Samaraa
Erbil
Kirkuk
Al-Mosul
Al-Sulaymaniya

Central Group
TeamResult
Al-NajafQualified to League
Al-Ramadi
Karbalaa
Al-Khalis
Al-Qasim

Baghdad Groups
Group 1
TeamResult
Al-ShortaQualified to League
Al-Karkh
Al-Zawraa
Al-JaishQualified to play-off
Al-Kadhimiya
Al-Khutoot
Al-Shabab
Al-Hudood
Al-Sinaa
Al-Bareed
Al-Nahdha
Al-Medain
Al-Umal
Al-Adhamiya
Al-Amana
Al-Siyaha
Tayaran Al-Jaish
Al-Shaheed Delaf
Group 2
TeamResult
Al-TalabaQualified to League
Al-Naft
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
Al-Difaa Al-JawiQualified to play-off
Al-Sulaikh
Haifa
Al-Shuala
Al-Hurriya
Al-Tijara
Al-Majid
Al-Mahmoudiya
Al-Salama
Al-Qaqaa
Abu Ghraib
Tamouz
Batal Al-Tahreer
Al-Saqr Al-Arabi
Play-off
  • Al-Difaa Al-Jawi defeated Al-Jaish over two legs to qualify for the League.

South Group
TeamResult
Al-KutQualified to League
Al-Samawa
Al-Minaa
Maysan
Al-Nasiriya
Al-Diwaniya

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
2 Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 30 18 8 4 53 34 +19 62
3 Al-Shorta 30 19 3 8 60 26 +34 60
4 Al-Talaba 30 17 9 4 42 21 +21 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 41 −7 36
11 Al-Naft 30 8 10 12 32 41 −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 67 −36 22
15 Al-Kut 30 3 3 24 17 55 −38 12 Relegated to Iraq Division One
16 Karbalaa 30 3 2 25 17 77 −60 11
Source: Al-Zubaidi Archive
(C) Champion.

Top goalscorers
Pos Scorer Goals Team
1 Hussein Abdullah 22 Duhok
2 Ahmed Khudhair 19 Al-Shorta
3 Ammar Ahmad 14 Al-Zawraa
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References
  1. Al-Sabti, Ali (2014). Iraqi League History 1974-2011. Iraq.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Al-Munshi, Dr.Dhia (2005). Iraqi Football Encyclopedia: Chico.. Jamoli… and football in Iraq. Citadel Printing & Design, Al-Saadoun, Baghdad.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  3. "Al-Talaba are champions of the second Baghdad group". IraqSport. Archived from the original on 2000-12-02.
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