Iraq wins one for its people

PATRAS, Greece — Muhamad Bilal could contain his emotions no longer. Surrounded by thousands of deliriously happy Iraqi soccer fans like himself, he could not resist the urge to call his brother in war-torn Iraq when a first-half goal put his beloved team on top of Portugal. Bilal shouted joy into his cellphone, but could not make a word of sense out of his brother, who was shouting every bit as loud from his home far north of Baghdad.

Across the aisle from Bilal stood Tamimi Zaki, who emigrated from his native Iraq in 1993 after the first Gulf War to live in Sweden. The bare-chested Zaki was engulfed in the cheers, for Iraq was not just playing in the Olympics for the first time since 1988, but for the first time since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime.

Zaki and others — many of them transplanted Iraqis now living in Greece and other European countries — didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when Iraq shocked powerful Portugal 4-2 in a first-round match Thursday at Pampeloponnisiako Stadium. The Iraqi players formed a human chain after their emotion-al victory against a gold-medal contender, walking hand-in-hand off the field while their fans waved the country’s red, white and green flags and chanted victory salutes.

“It’s mixed feelings,” Zaki said. “People are dying, and here we are watching this. But we must continue to live.”

Zaki then turned, looked out over the stadium seats, and gestured with his arm toward the expanse of Iraqi fans there to cheer on their team, a team that has been forced to play its “home” games in nearby Jordan because of the ongoing conflict. Some of the Iraq team members can’t always get to practice because the roads are occasionally barricaded. It’s also a team that was forced to endure the cruelties and tortures imposed upon them by Uday Hussein, the eldest son of Saddam and overseer of the country’s Olympic team. He was killed in a U.S.-led ambush in the past year.

But nowhere was that strife in evidence for the small crowd of several thousand to see. The pain and scars were hidden somewhere inside Thursday, beneath the outer surface and behind the cheers and smiles that filled the valley stadium.

“You see,” Zaki said. “There are Kurds, Shiites, Muslims, Christians and Sunnis. We are united. We have no problems between us.”

None, at least, that a first-round victory won’t soothe.

Said Iraq’s coach, Adnan Hamad: “I think now everybody will forget the problems. It is very important for us, this moment. We tried to make our people happy today.”

An own goal provided Portugal the initial lead, but it would be its only lead. Iraq tied the score and then forged ahead with a header by Emad Mohammed followed by Hawar Mohammed’s rebound kick. Portugal tied it again just before the end of the first half.

But it was Younis Mahmoud, considered to be Iraq’s best player, who provided the dramatics. With his forehead bandaged by a wound sustained in the first half, Mahmoud struck for the go-ahead goal 56 minutes in and Hawar Mohammed made it 4-2 when he shot into a vacated net in the waning moments.

“This is very important for the people of Iraq because it is the biggest chance to forget the pain and what happened during the war,” said Iraqi midfielder and captain, Abdul Wahab Abu al Hail of the the effort by the only Iraqi team in the Games. “We’re happy because Portugal is one of the best teams in the world and, of course, this tournament.

“We were very tired,” said Abu al Hail. “But we believed, and finally we have succeeded.”