Alaa Abdul-Zahra

Alaa Abdul-Zahra
Personal information
Full nameAlaa Abdul-Zahra Khashen Al-Azzawi
Date of birth22 December 1987
Place of birthBaghdad, Iraq
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing positionSecond striker, Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current team
Al-Shorta
Number17
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2004–2006Al-Zawraa?(14)
2006–2007Mes Kerman11(4)
2007Shabab Al-Ordon2(1)
2008–2009Al-Merrikh?(11)
2009–2010Al-Khor35(24)
2010–2011Al Kharaitiyat42(16)
2011–2012Al-Wakrah10(4)
2012–2014Duhok33(31)
2014Tractor Sazi4(0)
2014–Al-Shorta2(1)
National team‡
2004–2006Iraq U-208(9)
2006–2008Iraq U-2328(15)
2007–Iraq84(13)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 5 December 2014.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 26 January 2015

Alaa Abdul-Zahra Khashen Al-Azzawi (Arabic: علاء عبدالزهرة خشَان العزاوي‎ , born 22 December 1987 in Baghdad, Iraq[1]) is an Iraqi football player who currently plays for Al-Shorta. He is also a member of Iraq national football team. His nickname is Kaka of Iraq or Iraqi Kaka.

Early life

Affectionately nicknamed 'the Kaká of Iraq', Alaa's road towards fame looked relatively straightforward. At the age of 16, he got his playing career off to a dream start when he was discovered and signed by Iraqi powerhouses Al-Zawraa.

Club career

Al-Zawraa

In 2004 at the age of 16, Alaa Abdul-Zahra made a move to Al-Zawraa. He helped Al-Zawraa to qualify for the AFC Champions League in 2005. A year later he won with them the Iraq Super League in 2006.

Mes Kerman

After the AFC Youth Championship 2006, Alaa Abdul-Zahra signed a one year contract with the Iranian Premier League club Mes Kerman. He played 11 times for them and scored 4 goals.

Shabab Al-Ordon

Alaa Abdul-Zahra signed with Duhok FC Before the start of Iraq Super League (2007-2008) but he didn't go to Iraq, Instead he signed another contract with the Jordanian club Shabab Al-Ordon, Claimed that signing with Duhok FC was incomplete.

On 29 December 2007 in his first appearance with Shabab Al-Ordon, Alaa Abdul-Zahra scored his first goal with his new team against Hussein Irbid in Jordan Cup, helped his team to win 3–2 and qualify to the quarterfinals, then on 3 Jan 2008 Alaa Abdul-Zahra played his 2nd and last match with Shabab Al-Ordon this season against Al-Arabi Irbid in Jordan League, which they won 23–0 .

Al-Merrikh

Alaa Abdul-Zahra and his Olympic team's mate Saad Attiya signed a Contract with Sudan giant club Al-Merrikh. He won Sudan Premier League 2007–2008, and scored 9 goals.

Al-Khor

After the success in the Sudanese League, Alaa signed a contract with the Qatari side Al-Khor which he played with 14 league matches scoring eight goals.

Al Kharaitiyat

After the great months he spend in Al-Khor Alaa moved to another Qatrian club this time Al Kharaitiyat which he is going good with the club so far 20 goals .

Al-Wakrah

In June 2011, Alaa signed a one-year deal with Qatar side Al-Wakrah and scored 3 goals.[2]

Duhok

Alaa Abdul-Zahra signed with Duhok FC Before the start of 2010–11 season and scored 33 goals .

Tractor Sazi

On 20 July 2014, Abdul-Zahra joined Tractor Sazi with signing a two-year contract with the club. He played his first match for Tractor Sazi on 8 August 2014 against Zob Ahan. Just after a month with Tabrizi side, he decided to leave Tractor Sazi due to his drug test being positive. He officially released on September 10, 2014.[3]

Al-Shorta

Alaa Abdul-Zahra signed with Al-Shorta in September 2014 and scored one goal .[4]

International career

He first made his mark on the international scene with Iraq's youth team at the 2004 AFC Youth Championship in Malaysia. Two years later, he would repeat this feat by figuring prominently at the 2006 AFC Youth Championship, where the striking prodigy finished as the tournament's second-top scorer with four goals despite his team's early exit at the quarter-final stage. From there, he went on to showcase his predatory talents in Asia's qualifying final round for the Olympic Football Tournament Beijing 2008 by topping the scoring charts with a six-goal haul.

At senior level, he featured in two of Iraq's eight qualifying matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup at South Africa, coming off bench to play in a goalless draw against Pakistan before featuring in the 2–0 loss to Qatar.

He was questioned in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup for last year doping test when he was with the Iranian club Tractor Sazi.[5][6] But the news was denied by the player and said "the news is fake and fabricated by the Iranian side". Although Alaa Abdul Zara denies all allegations, FIFA has confirmed Alaa Abdul Zara was positive for the sport enhancing drug. Ala had been tested in August of 2014 while playing for Iran's Tractor Sazi, and his doping sample was announced to be POSITIVE by a FIFA-approved LAB in Cologne, Germany. Abdul Zahra then asked FIFA medical officials to test his B sample, which also turned to be positive. From this, he was release by Tractor Sazi and signed to Al-Shorta. Iraq were let off by the AFC management, due to the difficulty to overturn all matches to a 3–0 forfeit, meaning Iran were untruthfully sent home early in the cup.

International goals

[7][8]

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 10 January 2009 Royal Oman Police Stadium, Muscat, Oman  Kuwait 1–1 1–1 2009 Gulf Cup of Nations
2. 13 July 2009 Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad, Iraq  Palestine 3–0 4–0 Friendly
3. 26 November 2010 May 22 Stadium, Aden, Yemen  Bahrain 1–0 3–2 2010 Gulf Cup of Nations
4. 26 November 2010 May 22 Stadium, Aden, Yemen  Bahrain 2–1 3–2 2010 Gulf Cup of Nations
5. 2 December 2010 May 22 Stadium, Aden, Yemen  Kuwait 2–1 2–2 2010 Gulf Cup of Nations
6. 26 March 2011 Khalid Bin Mohammed Stadium, Sharjah, Iraq  North Korea 1–0 2–0 Friendly
7. 26 March 2011 Khalid Bin Mohammed Stadium, Sharjah, Iraq  North Korea 2–0 2–0 Friendly
8. 29 June 2011 Franso Hariri Stadium, Arbil, Iraq  Syria 1–2 1–2 Friendly
9. 23 July 2011 Franso Hariri Stadium, Arbil, Iraq  Yemen 1–0 2–0 2014 World Cup qualification
10. 6 September 2011 Jalan Besar Stadium, Singapore  Singapore 1–0 2–0 2014 World Cup qualification
11. 5 July 2012 Prince Abdullah al-Faisal Stadium, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia  Saudi Arabia 1–0 1–0 2012 Arab Nations Cup
12. 16 October 2012 Grand Hamad Stadium, Doha, Qatar  Australia 1–0 1–2 2014 World Cup qualification
13. 11 November 2013 Prince Mohammed Stadium, Zarqa, Jordan  Syria 2–1 2–1 Friendly

References

  1. ↑ Alaa A. Khashen AL-Azzawi – QSL.com.qa
  2. ↑ Alaa A. Khashen AL-Azzawi – QSL.com.qa
  3. ↑ http://isna.ir/fa/news/93061911571/%D8%B9%D9%84%D8%A7-%D8%B9%D8%A8%D8%AF%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B2%D9%87%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%DA%A9%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B2%DB%8C-%D8%AC%D8%AF%D8%A7-%D8%B4%D8%AF
  4. ↑ http://www.irna.ir/fa/News/81314528/
  5. ↑ IRAQ'S QUARTER-FINAL WIN THROWN INTO QUESTION AFTER IRAN CLAIMS INELIGIBLE PLAYER
  6. ↑ Iran issue protest over ineligible Iraq player in Asian Cup quarter-final
  7. ↑ "Ala'a Abdul-Zahra". National Football Teams. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  8. ↑ Amin, Tareq (27 March 2011). "Iraq defeats North Korea 2/0 in friendly". Iraqi News. Retrieved 4 February 2015.

External links