The 1966 Arab Cup was the third edition of the Arab Cup hosted by Baghdad, Iraq. The host nation and defending champions Iraq won the title for the 2nd time.[1]

1966 Arab Cup
Tournament details
Host countryIraq
Dates1–10 April
Teams10 (from 2 confederations)
Venue(s)1 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions Iraq (2nd title)
Runners-up Syria
Third place Libya
Fourth place Lebanon
Tournament statistics
Matches played21
Goals scored111 (5.29 per match)
Top scorer(s)Libya Ali Al-Biski
(16 goals)
Best player(s)Iraq Shidrak Yousif
1964
1985

At the tournament's closing ceremony, the chairman of the Arab Cup Organising Committee announced that the next edition of the Arab Cup would be held in 1967 in Damascus, Syria,[2] however this did not end up taking place.

Participated teams

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The 10 participated teams are:

Venues

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Baghdad
Al-Kashafa Stadium
Capacity: 14,000
 

Squads

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Group stage

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Group A

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Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Iraq 4 3 1 0 15 3 +12 7
  Lebanon 4 3 1 0 10 3 +7 7
  Jordan 4 1 1 2 6 7 –1 3
  Kuwait 4 0 2 2 8 11 –3 2
  Bahrain 4 0 1 3 7 22 –15 1
Iraq  3–1  Kuwait
Yousif  
Dhiab  
Atta  
 
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad
Lebanon  2–1  Jordan
El-Sharki  
Abou Murad  
Mustafa Al-Adwan   22'
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad

Iraq  2–1  Jordan
Assad  
Atta  
Al-Shaqran   22'
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad
Lebanon  6–1  Bahrain
Altounian    
El-Sharki  
Abou Murad  
Berjaoui  
Chatila  
 
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad

Lebanon  2–1  Kuwait
El-Sharki   1', ?' Al-Dawla  
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad
Jordan  2–1  Bahrain
Issa   22'
Mustafa Al-Adwan   60'
Zalekh  
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad

Iraq  10–1  Bahrain
Dhiab        
Jameel    
Ismail  
Najim  
Hameed  
Dawood  
 
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad
Jordan  2–2  Kuwait
Issa   22'
Mustafa Al-Adwan   70'
   
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad

Kuwait  4–4  Bahrain
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad
Iraq  0–0  Lebanon
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad

Group B

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Oman abandoned their first match against Libya with 10 minutes left from a disputed decision when they started losing 21–0 to Libya, and withdrew from the tournament.

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
  Libya 4 2 2 0 34 0 +34 6
  Syria 3 2 1 0 7 2 +5 5
  Palestine 3 1 1 1 8 3 +5 3
  North Yemen 3 0 0 3 1 24 –23 0
  Oman 1 0 0 1 0 21 –21 0
Libya  0–0  Palestine
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad
Syria  4–1  North Yemen
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad

Libya  21–0 [n 1]  Oman
Ben Soueid                  
Al-Biski              
Al-Jahani        
Ben Zayed  
Abandoned in 80'
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad

Syria  0–0  Libya
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad
Palestine  7–0  North Yemen
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad

Syria  3–1  Palestine
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad
Libya  13–0  North Yemen
Al-Biski          
Ben Soueid          
Al-Ahwal    
Al-Khatiti  
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad

Knock-out stage

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Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
April 8, 1966 – Baghdad
 
 
  Iraq3
 
April 10, 1966 – Baghdad
 
  Libya1
 
  Iraq2
 
April 8, 1966 – Baghdad
 
  Syria1
 
  Syria1
 
 
  Lebanon0
 
Third place
 
 
April 10, 1966 – Baghdad
 
 
  Libya6
 
 
  Lebanon1

Semi-finals

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Iraq  3–1  Libya
Mahmoud  
Balla  
Atta  
Al-Biski  
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad

Syria  1–0  Lebanon
 
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad

Third place play-off

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Libya  6–1  Lebanon
Al-Biski      
Al-Jahani    
Al-Ahwal  
El-Sharki  
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad

Final

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Iraq  2–1  Syria
Ismail   68', 84' Idlibi   27'
Al-Kashafa Stadium, Baghdad
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Mamdouh Khourma (Jordan)

Goalscorers

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16 goals
14 goals
6 goals
5 goals

Notes and references

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Notes

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  1. ^ Oman withdrew the tournament after its first match against Libya, protesting a penalty free-kick decision of the referee at 80'.

References

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  1. ^ نهائي كأس العرب 1966 - Al-Gardenia
  2. ^ "3rd Arab Football Cup Tournament Ends". Baghdad News. 12 April 1966.
  3. ^ "Ali Al-Baski, the historical goal scorer for Libyan football ... and the star of records". Al Wasat. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
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