The Iran and Iraq national football teams are sporting rivals who have played each other since 1962. According to The Malay Mail, "Emotions are always high when Iran and Iraq meet on the football pitch". The most recent match between the two teams was the quarter-final of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup where Iraq knocked Iran out on penalties. Iran were knocked out at the quarter-final stage for the third time in a row, whereas Iraq reached the semi-final for the second time in the past three editions of the tournament.