Iraq 1 Saudi 0, ASIAN CUP FINALS

Reuters ^ | July 29, 2007 | Reuters

[alligator]

AKARTA (Reuters) - Iraq defied seemingly impossible odds to beat Saudi Arabia 1-0 in the Asian Cup final on Sunday, providing a fairytale ending to the tournament and a rare moment of celebration in their war-torn homeland.

Iraqi captain Younis Mahmoud scored the winner in the 71st minute when he climbed above the defence at the far post and headed a perfectly-weighted corner from Hawar Mulla Mohammed into the net.

Saudi Arabia had been bidding to become the first country to win the Asian Cup four times but were outplayed by an Iraqi team riding high on a wave of national support.

Iraq's unexpected victory not only captured the imagination of the sporting world but helped unify a country ravaged by war and ripped apart by sectarian violence.

[jveritas]

Also, apparently no one thought they could win but them. That sounds all to familiar to the all the expert analysis about Iraq.

Excellent post.

[Allegra]

Please extend our best and hearty congratulations.

Can you please do that for us? There are many of us here in the states that love the game and we want them to know how happy we are for them!!!

Of course I will! I will be seeing all of our Iraqi counterparts tomorrow and we will pass on the messages from the U.S. without a doubt.

They love to hear that - they actually get choked up. I told some of our interpreters today a couple of hours before the game that the people of the USA back home were strongly supporting them. They were very touched by that.

The e-mails I have received from home are overwhelming - all wanting me to pass on their congratulations. I only recieved one snide comment oh, so slyly directed at me on another forum...she felt the need to express how booored she was with all of it. I won't tell the Iraqis about her. LOL

It will be my distinct pleasure to pass on all of the good wishes from patriotic Americans. :-)

[romanesq]

Thank you Allegra. Thank you very much!!

Heard around the globe:

“This is not just about football... this is more important than that,” Iraq’s Brazilian coach Jorvan Vieira.

[jveritas]

Excellent David. Good bless you and all our brave troops.

[NordP]

Thanks for taking the time to capture and post the video, DO! - Now...the Iraqis can see themselves as Winners!!!

Only good can come from their being united about something and feeling confident from a big win!

[davidosborne]

Thank you.. it’s my honor and privilege to serve here.

[jveritas]

Because of you and the other brave troops we know that we will keep our freedom and our way of life.

[elhombrelibre]

Thanks, but I should have written “too” and not “to.” I was without an editor at the time. ;-) I sure hope the Iraqis can build on the momentum of team work that this soccer game could inspire.

[jveritas]

I make more typing and spelling errors than most people :) but the important thing is the content of the writing.

[elhombrelibre]

True. If you ever read any of the original writings of the American founding father’s many of them were poor spellers, and American English had not taken on authoritative spellings. Still, when the same writer spells something several ways it is questionable how well he spells. But you’re right. More important than the spelling is the logic or the factual accuracy.

[FreeReign]

I make more typing and spelling errors than most people :) but the important thing is the content of the writing.

It deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer is in the rghit pclae.

The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm.

Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe.

[jveritas]

LOL.... good one :)

[FreeReign]

Wroks for me. :)

[Dog]

Evil tried to mount an attack....but was stopped.

Police shot a man attempting to drive a car bomb into a jubilant crowd in the south Baghdad neighborhood of Sadiya about 7:10 p.m., killing him and causing the car to explode without injuring anyone, police said. Earlier in the day, Baghdad police said, they stopped two Saudi Arabian nationals attempting to detonate cars packed with explosives in the eastern neighborhood of Zayuna

[Allegra]

Wow...I didn't even know about all of that.

Well done, Iraqi Police! Lots of innocent lives saved today.

This has indeed been a good day for Baghdad.

A few more good days like this for them and we can get this thing wrapped up.

:-D

[Allegra]

I make more typing and spelling errors than most people :)

Hey, don't you try to challenge my Typo Championship, you hear? ;-)

[jveritas]

I will not dare to do so :)

[Allegra]

Police shot a man attempting to drive a car bomb into a jubilant crowd in the south Baghdad neighborhood of Sadiya about 7:10 p.m., killing him and causing the car to explode without injuring anyone, police said. Earlier in the day, Baghdad police said, they stopped two Saudi Arabian nationals attempting to detonate cars packed with explosives in the eastern neighborhood of Zayuna

Sore losers. {snicker!}

[elhombrelibre]

I was afraid that might happen, but the police did a fine job. This too should inspire Iraqis to realize how important it is that they stick together.

[hardback]