Iraq clinched their first Asian Cup victory with a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia in Jakarta. The final had been billed as a contest between the tournament's best attack in Saudi Arabia, against the tightest defence, but the Saudis much-vaunted strikeforce was kept well in check. In contrast, Iraq always looked dangerous on the break, with man-of-the-match Younes Mahmoud's pace a particular threat. Iraq's Brazilian coach Jorvan Vieira worked under difficult conditions, including being forced to prepare the team outside of Iraq. He said: "We all know the problems in Iraq but I have learned they are a fantastic people. We did not have much time so we had to work quickly. We sometimes fought, we sometimes argued but we got the work done. It was very difficult but I am very proud of these boys." Vieira announced he was standing down after the victory (quote fromhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/)
(the photo above captured from The Jakarta Post)
Skipper Younis Mahmoud's thumping headed goal crowned Iraq as the Asian Cup champions for the first time in the final of the Asian Cup at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Senayan, Jakarta - Indonesia, on Sunday, 29 July 2007. The Assood Al Rafidain or Lion from Mesopotamia –the title for Iraq's team- gave war-weary fellow citizens a reason to celebrate after upsetting three-time winner The Son of the Desert Saudi Arabia.
The AFP reported that Iraq’s victory was welcomed by thousands of Iraqis in Baghdad, including members of the security forces, with barrages of gunfire. Soldiers, police and civilian gunmen let off long volleys of automatic fire skyward and into the waters of the Tigris River within seconds of the final whistle in Jakarta.
They defied a strict government cease-fire order from Baghdad security authorities who had imposed an overnight vehicle curfew to prevent insurgent car bomb attacks and ordered police to arrest anyone who took part in the traditional celebratory gunfire.
One day before Iraq's Brazilian coach Jorvan Vieira, made a joke that whoever become the winner, the champion is one, that is Brazil. Because Saudi Arabia’s coach Helio Dos Angos is from Brazilia too.
Hussein Saeed, the nation’s football federation president say on Asian Footbal Official that football, and the on-going success of Iraq at the Asian Cup, can play a major role in giving the country a more positive future. And Saeed believes the performance of the team is an example of what the people of Iraq can do if they pull together in the same direction.
“We want to give a good example for the politicians and for the people that when we are united and working together – like the federation, the coach and the players – we can win against all the difficulties we face,” Saeed, a former Iraq international, told PA Sport.
“We face many problems with the security and the political situation is not good but we do the best we can and it is very, very important for our people and this team is giving a good impression to the people back in Iraq”.
Readers, everyday we hear about car bombings in Baghdad the team is a good thing for all community in the world. Football is a good media, it is sending a peace message to all the people about friendship and everything else. Success under the most trying of circumstances is nothing new for the Iraqis. In 2004 – just a year after the invasion – the nation’s under 23 team reached the semi-finals of the Olympic Games, the first Asian nation to do so since Japan won the bronze medal at the 1968 Games in Mexico City.
“We don’t know who is Sunni and who is Shia in our team,” said Saeed. “And it’s the same with the fans, we don’t know who is Sunni and who is Shia and we don’t care. We have lost many people. The physiotherapist for the Iraq national team, before we came to the Asian Cup, he was killed in Baghdad in a car bombing when he was going to pick up medicine from the pharmacy, so we have lost many people, sportsmen and others. But we want to prove to the people that we can overcome the problems and send a message to the political parties and all the other people. We want them to know that you can do many things when you are united.”
Afcasiancup.org reported that, “What makes the team’s success all the more astonishing is the lack of financial assistance they have received from the Iraqi government or the administrations behind the occupation. Sponsors are almost impossible to find for the federation while the security situation means the team must play their home games outside Iraq, which puts an additional financial burden on the association”.
Finally Saeed said that, “Football is the hope for the people in Iraq and when you care about football we can decrease the violence in Iraq. When the football team is playing there is no bombing in Iraq because all the people are going to watch the game and that is a message for the politicians. It is important to help the players, to help the team.” The daily newspaper Kompas wrote on Monday's headline that This victory is Very Meaningfull because togethernes –not divideness- is a key to reach the champions. For me, its a sign that war is not a problem, "challenge" is the right word. Iraq prove the amazing team can be a winner in any circumstances although big-trouble faced. Its a dream come true: win while war. Iraq came behind from the wild wild world. [<>]
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