SOCCER : Iraq Gets Key Tie Under New Coach in Cup Qualifying

Bolstered by a new coach and benefiting from the desert heat, Iraq tied South Korea, 2-2, Tuesday and kept alive its hope of going to the United States for the World Cup finals next year.

A goal by Ahmad Rahdi with five minutes to play enabled Iraq to bounce back from a devastating loss to North Korea in the first round of the Asian group qualifying tournament that cost Coach Adnan Dirjal and his two main assistants their jobs.

“We still have three matches to go, we can foster our position,” said new Iraqi Coach Ammu Baba, appointed Monday by Saddam Hussein’s eldest son, Odai, who heads Iraq’s Football Assn.

Iraq blew a 2-0 lead in the final 25 minutes in a 3-2 loss to North Korea last week.

South Korean Coach Kim Ho said the hot, humid weather cost his team.

“No doubt Iraq is a good team, but it was humidity that affected our performance in the second half,” Kim said.

South Korea now shares the top slot of the six-nation qualification with Saudi Arabia, with three points each. The top two teams advance to the World Cup, and Iraq has staked its prestige on getting to the United States--the nation that led a military coalition against Iraq in the 1991 Gulf War.

South Korea beat Iran, 3-0, in its first match Saturday.