In 2007, four years after the US-led invasion of Iraq, the Lions of Mesopotamia achieved an incredible feat by winning Iraq’s first Asian Cup, which is widely regarded as one of the biggest underdog victories in sports history.
The night before the 2007 final, Jorvan Vieira, the head coach, instructed his team to sit on the field at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta. He reminded them that the next day, their match would take place there and it was unlikely they would have this opportunity again. His message was straightforward – the players needed to seize this moment. They all agreed and were united in their determination.
Approximately 22 days prior, prior to Iraq’s first game against Thailand in Bangkok, the atmosphere within the team was significantly different. The overall mood was extremely low, largely due to conflicts between the coach and the experienced players. This mirrored the tumultuous state of affairs back in their home country – a civil war was raging.
Vieira’s initial encounter with the vice-president of the Iraqi Football Association, Najeh Humoud, involved presenting a list of players he wished to have brought back to the country. Some of these players had expressed to Vieira’s assistant, Rahim Hameed, after a heated 2-0 loss to Uzbekistan in a friendly before the tournament, that they were prepared to cover the remaining amount of Vieira’s contract in order for him to depart.
The poor relationship of disrespect and mistrust between Vieira and the players was severe enough for the FA to consider replacing the entire team for the Asian Cup with the country’s under-23 Olympic team. However, the deadline set by the Asian Football Confederation had already passed. The FA also desired to replace Vieira, but due to limited time to find a suitable replacement, he remained in charge for the tournament.
Iraq had a disastrous beginning to their match against Thailand, giving up a penalty in the first six minutes. However, they bounced back and scored an equalizer with a header from Younis Mahmoud.
Mahmoud later discussed his observation that fellow Iraqis, regardless of their religious beliefs or political associations, were celebrating the team’s wins by proudly waving Iraqi flags. This showed him that his fellow citizens were eager to promote unity and combat the sectarianism that was causing division in the country at that time.
The match against Thailand resulted in a 1-1 tie. Australia, with players such as Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka, and Tim Cahill, will be Iraq’s next opponent. This will be Australia’s first appearance at the Asian Cup after joining the AFC two years ago.
Had Iraq lost, it is highly likely that Vieira would have been fired. Nevertheless, they defied expectations and surprised a disorganized Socceroos team by securing a 3-1 victory.
Iraq’s last match in Group A against Oman ended in a 0-0 tie, securing their top spot in the standings and allowing them to stay in Bangkok for the quarter-final against Vietnam. Iraq emerged victorious with a score of 2-0, thanks to two goals scored by Mahmoud. The first goal, which was scored in just 79 seconds, also became the fastest goal scored in the tournament.
During the semi-final match, they went against South Korea. Only 26 days prior, they had played at the Jeju Island stadium for the 2002 World Cup. Despite battling through summer rain, Iraq was defeated 3-0, facing a thorough defeat in various aspects.
The defeat prompted urgent discussions, during which midfielder Nashat Akram issued a ultimatum to his fellow players: either show determination and contribute, or leave the team. In their second match against Korea, Iraq had a goal in mind: securing a spot in the final.
The scoreless semi-final match went into a penalty shootout to decide the winner. Iraq emerged victorious with a 4-3 win, thanks to the impressive performance of goalkeeper Noor Sabri. Sadly, the joy of their victory was short-lived as it was soon reported that two suicide bombings had claimed the lives of approximately 50 individuals in Baghdad, including Noor’s brother-in-law who was killed just weeks prior.
The team was heartbroken, but then a woman appeared on Iraqi state television. She was the mother of Haidar, a 12-year-old boy who had lost his life in the attack. She made a promise not to hold a funeral for her son until the team brought back the Asian Cup. Moved by her words, the players were determined to win for Haidar and all of Iraq.
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In the ultimate match in Jakarta, Iraq faced off against the three-time champions and top contenders, Saudi Arabia. Their previous encounter was at the 18th Gulf Cup half a year prior, where Iraq was defeated 1-0 and eliminated from the tournament.
During the pre-match team meeting, former head coach of Iraq, Akram Salman, had communicated to his players that both teams had agreed to end the game in a tie, allowing both teams to advance to the semi-finals. However, three players were later suspended for two years after accusing Iraqi FA president, Hussein Saeed, of involvement in match-fixing. Salman was also fired by the FA due to a “misunderstanding” between him and the team.
Vieira replaced Salman and previously worked at Al-Tai in Saudi Arabia before taking on the Iraq job. Despite a promising beginning, the team’s performance declined and Vieira was fired after a tumultuous five months filled with conflicts with multiple players. Therefore, facing Saudi Arabia was a significant and emotional experience for him.
On July 29, 2007, the final match of the Asian Cup was held with over 60,000 people watching. Iraq displayed superior performance and it seemed certain that they would score. The audience chanted “Iraq, Iraq, Iraq” and Raad Nahi, a sports commentator for Al-Iraqiya, could be heard on television praying, “Oh God, please bring happiness to my heart and my people” as Hawar Mulla Mohammed got ready to take a corner at the 72nd minute.
Mahmoud rose to head the ball past the Saudi keeper, securing the winning goal. When asked about his contribution, Mahmoud stated that it was a collective effort from all of the Iraqi people, not just himself.
On the day that Iraq emerged victorious in the Asian Cup for the very first time, the people of Iraq were united. The efforts of eleven football players managed to achieve what the Iraqi parliament could not – bringing the nation together and bringing joy to the faces of its people, instead of tears and pain.
Hassanin Mubarak wrote the book “Far from War and Politics: The story of Iraq’s 2007 Asian Cup victory”. To purchase a copy, click on the link provided.
Source: theguardian.com
