Emad Mohammed

Football player infobox
playername = Emad Mohammed


fullname = Emad Mohammed Ridha
height = height|m=1.70
nickname = Al-Aoumda
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1982|7|24
cityofbirth = Karbala
countryofbirth = Iraq
currentclub = Sepahan F.C.
clubnumber = 7
position = Striker, Second striker, Winger
youthclubs = Karbalaa FC
youthyears = 1992–1998
clubs = Al-Zawraa
Al-Gharrafa
Al-Zawraa
Al-Gharrafa
Al-Wakra
Foolad F.C.
Sepahan F.C.
years = 1998–2002
2002–2003
2003–2004
2003–2004
2004–2005
2005–2006
2006–
caps(goals) = 0? 0(?)
0? 0(?)
0? 0(?)
0? 0(?)
30 0(11)
14 0(8)
47 0(19)
nationalteam = Iraq
nationalcaps(goals) = 72 (23)
nationalyears = 2000–
pcupdate = 11 May 2008
ntupdate = 24 August 2008

Emad Mohammed Ridha ( _ar. عماد محمد رضا, born 24 July, 1982 in Karbala, Iraq) is an Iraqi football striker who currently plays for Sepahan F.C. in Iran's Premier Football League and the Iraq national football team. Emad Mohammed has been a regular starter for Iraq ever since he played for the youth national team.

Career

Emad Mohammed is an outstanding young striker who is capable on his day of changing the course of a game with a blink of an eye. The Karbala-born star helped the Iraqi Under-19s to the AFC Youth Championship 2000, scoring 4 goals to become joint top scorer in the competition which included the two goals in the final over Japan, the second the Golden goal that won the game. He was surprisingly brought into the 24-man Iraqi Asian Cup 2000 squad a few weeks before the finals in Lebanon after scoring 3 goals in 4 games for the Iraqi B team in a tournament in Indonesia in August 2000 and also scoring 2 goals to help a weakened Al-Zawraa team to beat Emirates club Al-Ain 2-1 in the first round of the 2000 Asian club championship in September. Broke in the Al-Zawraa's 1st team during season 1998-1999 and was voted Iraqi Leagues’ young player of the year and was later voted Iraqi striker of the year in 2000. Made his international debut on January 31st 2000 against Lebanon in Beirut in a 0-0 draw. After rumours of a move to AC Milan and several Turkish clubs, Emad moved on-loan to Qatari champions Al-Ittihad (Al-Gharrafa) and scored a double on his debut against Al-Sadd, he later joined the club for $400,000 dollars scoring an incredible 17 goals in 15 matches for the Yellow and Blue Jaguars, including 7 goals in 7 games while on loan at the club, where he scored a double in the Emir Cup final against Al-Sadd. A month after signing a contract with the club, the star tore stomach muscles after claiming four goals against Pakhtakor of Uzbekistan in an AFC Champions League match. The recurring injury came to prompt him off the game in Qatari league action against Al-Shamal in the opening game of last season, just after scoring his side’s third goal to give them a 3-3 draw. He was out for nearly a year and as a result, the player and the Qatari club mutually agreed to terminate his contract with the 'Blue and Yellow Jaguars', so they could sign French striker Kaba Diawara from Paris St.Germain, their fourth and last foreign player for the new 2003-2004 Qatar 'Super' League. But the club’s new forwards failed to make a mark and Emad was recalled after a short spell playing for Al-Zawraa back in Baghdad and the Iraqi Olympic team, where he scored 3 goals in two matches including an important goal in the crucial second round Olympic qualifier with North Korea. [cite web|url=http://www.iraqsport.com/imgdb/displayimage.php?album=4&pos=21|title=Emad Mohammed Ridha |iraqsport.com|accessdate=2007-06-25]

On June 25, 2007 Emad renewed his contract with Sepahan F.C. for another season in a deal thought to be worth in the region of $600,000. [cite web|url=http://www.aljazeerasport.net/NR/exeres/6311AF31-8C14-420E-A701-06C84E1BE7A1.htm|title=Emad renews contract with Sepahan|aljazeerasport.net|accessdate=2007-06-25]

Other honours (individual)

* Iraq Super League young player (1998-1999).
* Iraqi player of the year in 2000.
* Top scorer of AFC Youth Championship 2000 (4 goals).
* Runner-up top scorer of FIFA Club World Cup 2007

Famous matches

* Iraq Youth team vs. Japan Youth team --- (AFC Youth Championship 2000) -- Emad scored twice including the golden goal to clinch the Asian Youth Championship title.
* Al-Zawraa vs. Al-Ain --- (Asian Club Championship 2000) -- Emad scored 2 goals to help Al-Zawraa beat Al-Ain 2-1 in the first round of the Asian Club Championship 2000.
* Al-Gharafa vs. Pakhtakor --- (AFC Champions League 2002-03 qualifications) -- Al-Gharafa won 4-3, Emad Mohammed score all 4 goals.
* Iraq Olympic team vs. Australia Olympic team --- (Men's Olympic Football Tournament 2004) -- Emad scores off a bicycle kick to help Iraq advance to the semifinals.
* Sepahan vs. Waitakere United --- (2007 FIFA Club World Cup) -- Sepahan won 3-1 and Emad Mohammed scored 2 goals in the first 4 minutes of the match.
*Iraq vs. Australia --- (2010 FIFA World Cup qualification)--Emad kept Iraq's hopes of qualifying to the 2010 World Cup alive by scoring a magnificent goal in the 28th minute and saving them from elimination.

Notes

External link(s)

* [http://iraqsport.com/imgdb/displayimage.php?album=random&cat=5&pos=-4 Profile on Iraqsport]