Iraq head coach Radhi Shenaishil has named his 23-man squad earlier today ahead of the Lions’ quest to get back in contention for a World Cup spot as they face Japan and Thailand in the second batch of World Cup Qualifiers.

The squad includes the much-anticipated Östersunds FK midfielder Brwa Nouri for the first time.

Japan vs. Iraq

Date: 6 October 2016

Kick-off: 19:35 Local time

Venue: Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama (Japan)

Iraq vs. Thailand

Date: 11 October 2016

Kick-off: 16:00 Local time

Venue: PAS Stadium, Tehran (Iran)

Goalkeepers:

Mohammed Hameed ( Naft Al-Wasat )

Mohammed Gassid ( Al-Zawraa )

Ali Abdul-Hassan ( Al-Talaba )

Defenders:

Ali Adnan (Udinese, Italy)

Dhurgham Ismail (Caykur Rizespor, Turkey)

Waleed Salim ( Al-Shorta )

Mustafa Nadhim ( Naft Al-Wasat )

Ahmed Ibrahim (Emirates Club, UAE)

Saad Natiq ( Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya )

Alaa Mhawi ( Al-Zawraa )

Ali Lateef ( Al-Shorta )

Midfielders:

Amjad Waleed ( Al-Shorta )

Brwa Nouri (Östersunds FK, Sweden)

Saad Abdul-Amir (Al-Qadisiyah, Saudi Arabia)

Mahdi Kamel ( Al-Shorta )

Amjad Attwan ( Naft Al-Wasat )

Bashar Resan ( Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya )

Forwards

Mohammed Jabbar Shokan ( Al-Minaa )

Mohannad Abdul-Raheem ( Al-Zawraa )

Alaa Abdul-Zahra ( Al-Zawraa )

Jassim Mohammed ( Al-Shorta )

Justin Meram (Columbus Crew, USA)

Ahmed Yasin (AIK, Sweden)