PERTH (Australia), July 5: Iraq’s soccer team will play two matches in November in Australia in an effort to get its international programme back on track, officials said on Saturday.

The matches come nearly seven months after the United States-led invasion of Iraq in which Australia played a role.

Former Perth Glory and now Iraqi coach Bernd Stange will lead Iraq in the matches which have been sanctioned by Soccer Australia.

Sports promoter Tom Hoad said one game will be against the Australian under-23 side while the other will be against a state league side or select Perth Glory team.

The matches are expected to be played at either Subiaco Oval or the WACA Ground in Perth with dates in late November yet to be determined.

Soccer Australia board member Paul Afkos said the Iraq players were expected to have a two-week camp in Perth to prepare for the games.

“Soccer Australia sees this as a tremendous goodwill gesture towards a country that has been battered for many years,” Afkos said.

He left Iraq before the start of the war just three months after his appointment, vowing to return to rebuild his team once hostilities had ended.—AP