Brazil´s Vieira leaves Iraq as charity game postponed

Iraq's Brazilian coach Jorvan Vieira has left the embattled country as a friendly charity match with an European team was put off by two months.

Vieira, who started work with the Iraqi national team at training in Baghdad this week for the first time since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003, left on Thursday, Bassem Ridha, a sports adviser to the government said.

“He left because the match with Super Stars of Europe was postponed from October 6 to December 22,” Ridha told AFP on Saturday.

“He was training the team for this friendly match which was to raise money for Iraqi children.”

Vieira is expected back in about two weeks, he added.

Ridha said the postponement was requested by the Italian organisers of the match citing other engagements for some of the European players slated to play in Baghdad.

Around 20 players resumed training this week at Al-Shaab stadium, the main football venue in Baghdad, under Vieira, who returned this month after guiding Iraq to Asian Cup victory in 2007.