1979–80 Iraqi National League
Statistics of Iraqi League in season 1979/1980.
Overview
12 teams completed, and Al-Shurta won the championship.
Final Round of the Season
Before the final round of the season, Al-Zawraa were in 1st place with 34 points and Al-Shorta were in 2nd place with 33 points. On Friday 2 May 1980 at Al-Shaab Stadium, Al-Shorta faced Al-Minaa in their final game of the season and won the game 3-1, earning themselves two points that moved them to the top of the table. Al-Zawraa were a point behind them with a game in hand, but they had inferior goal difference so they had to defeat Al-Shabab two days later at the same stadium in order to win the league. A draw would not be enough for them.
Al-Zawraa were clear favourites to beat Al-Shabab and had many national team players in their squad, but Al-Shabab shocked everybody when they went 1-0 up inside the first five minutes through Qasim Mousa. Al-Shorta could not believe their luck, but Al-Zawraa equalised 15 minutes later with a penalty kick scored by Thamir Yousif. Everybody expected Al-Zawraa to go on and get the victory they needed to win the title, but to everybody's surprise they couldn't find a winner. The final few moments were frantic with Al-Zawraa throwing everybody forward to attack; all Al-Shorta could do was watch on nervously. But the final whistle blew at 1-1, meaning that Al-Shorta won the league on goal difference as both teams had 35 points.
It was Al-Shorta's first ever Iraqi League title and one that their supporters will never forget.
League standings
Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
1 | Al-Shurta | 22 | 14 | 7 | 1 | 41 | 15 | 35 |
2 | Al-Zawraa | 22 | 15 | 5 | 2 | 36 | 13 | 35 |
3 | Al-Talaba | 22 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 27 | 13 | 27 |
4 | Al-Shabab | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 26 | 19 | 26 |
5 | Al-Jaish | 22 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 22 | 23 | 22 |
6 | Tijara FC | 22 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 14 | 18 | 22 |
7 | Al-Sinaa | 22 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 27 | 22 |
8 | Al-Amana | 22 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 25 | 24 | 20 |
9 | Al-Tayaran | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 20 | 21 | 20 |
10 | Al-Minaa | 22 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 26 | 29 | 20 |
11 | Salahaddin FC | 22 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 8 | 27 | 11 |
12 | Al-Bahri | 22 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 13 | 45 | 4 |