CAIRO, July 7: A goal from Brazilian striker Alessandro three minutes from time allowed Al-Kuwait to draw 2-2 with Baghdad Police (Al-Shurtah) on Sunday in the first game between teams from the two countries since Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990.

The incident-free game on the opening day of the 10-team Arab Club Championship, was dubbed the “love and peace match” but attracted only a small crowd.

Al-Kuwait took the lead in the 13th minute through another Brazilian, Somalia, but the Iraqis — the first winners of the Arab championships in 1982 — hit back through Mazen Abdul Sattar in the 18th minute and Ahmed Manajid in the 60th.

Despite being under international sanctions for invading Kuwait — an act that led to the 1991 Gulf War —

Iraqi football teams still competed in Asian and Olympic qualifiers during the 1990s.—AFP