LAHORE, Pakistan - Asian Cup champions Iraq take on Pakistan here Tuesday when they open their campaign to qualify for the 2010 World Cup.

Iraq won the Asian Cup title in July to give their war-plagued country rare sporting joy, and now hope to qualify for the World Cup to be held in South Africa in three years’ time.

The encounter will be the eighth clash between Pakistan and Iraq, although the last between the two was 10 years ago.

Pakistan won their first encounter 2-1 in 1969 in Tehran’s Friendship Cup, but Iraq have dominated ever since, winning all six matches from 1986 to 1997.

Iraq are placed 65 in world football rankings, while Pakistan are a lowly 179.

However a Iraqi official said they would not take Pakistan for granted.

“Pakistan has been a very improving side and we would not take them lightly as we are playing them on their home ground,” said Abdul Raheem Hameed Aufi, a member of Iraq’s coaching staff led by Norway-based coach Egil “Drillo ” Olsen.

Olsen led Norway to the World Cup finals in 1994 and 1998 and to number two in the FIFA rankings. He replaced Brazilian Jorvan Vieira — one of the most successful coaches in Iraq’s soccer history — two months ago.

Pakistan, winners of the South Asian Games in 1989 and 2004, will look to restrict Iraq in an attempt to qualify for the second round.

Iraq, not allowed to play their home match due to security reasons, will take on Pakistan in the return leg on October 28 in Aleppo, Syria.