Khalaf scores four goals in Iraqi victory

[Gordon B]

I guess the players didn't miss the late Uday Hussein's unique coaching methods.


Iraq 5, Bahrain 1

October 8, 2003

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- Iraq played its first official international soccer game since the fall of Saddam Hussein's government, defeating Bahrain 5-1 Wednesday in its opener of qualifying for the 2004 Asian Cup.

Younis M. Khalaf scored four goals for Iraq, which played in exhibition games during August as the soccer program restarted.

``After so much turmoil and suffering, this is a great victory for the people of Iraq,'' coach Bernd Stange said.

Stange praised the Asian Football Confederation and FIFA, soccer's governing body, for providing funding, but he criticized the United States-led occupying forces.

``We have not received any help from the Americans or the coalition,'' he said. ``When we asked for help, they said there were more important things.''

Khalaf scored in the fifth, 49th, 69th and 83rd minutes, and Jassim S. Fayadh scored in the 25th.

Bahrain played a man short after Rashed A. Rahman Saif Al Doseri was ejected in the 59th minute for a rough tackle.

Iraq's soccer program has struggled in recent years. It last qualified for the World Cup in 1986.

In Wednesday's other game, Malaysia defeated Myanmar 4-0.

[Monte Smith]

Result! The Afghanistan squad also played its first international match after the US liberated the country from the Taliban. Soccer was illegal under the Taliban, you'll recall, and the biggest stadium in the country was given over as a killing field.

Go Iraq! I am sure the players do not miss the regime of Saddam, under which they were routinely tortured by the sadistic Uday.

Speaking of sadism: The Iraqi professionals played US military teams right after the cessation of combat and SPANKED US HARD. Hey, I'm a patriot but we just aren't that skilled at the game.

Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma!

[Gordon B]

Originally posted by Monte Smith


Go Iraq! I am sure the players do not miss the regime of Saddam, under which they were routinely tortured by the sadistic Uday.

Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma!

Monte, I know of at least one poster who thinks that they do miss the regime of Saddam!

[Monte Smith]

Originally posted by Gordon B
Monte, I know of at least one poster who thinks that they do miss the regime of Saddam!

Yeah: Mr. Sunshine. But he's just projecting.

Gordon, thanks for posting this piece of news. Anyone who understands the importance of futbol around the world knows that if Iraq can get a team fielded that really competes on a global level, that goes a hell of a long way to satisfying issues of Arab esteem and national self-worth.

I mean: look at England and Argentina in the 1986 World Cup. England had just taken the Falkland Islands back by force (unilaterally, one might add) but Argentina kicked English ass on the pitch in Mexico City. It wasn't just that that made the two nations even, it was almost like Argentina was ahead!

Maradona! Gooooooooooooooool!

And Iran and the U.S. have never been so close to a peaceful resolution of all our problems as when we met nation v. nation in the 1994 World Cup.

Of course, if soccer meant everything then Brazil would be a superpower.

Yeah: Mr. Sunshine. But he's just projecting.

Oh Monte. You are SO wrong!! He is just being true to himself, and drawing his own conclusions instead of swallowing the party line being fed to him by the appointed administration. He simply deals in truth, and imparts his superior wisdom to those of us still trapped in the cult. He's only trying to help.










Da plane, DA PLANE!!!!!!

[Uli]

Originally posted by Gordon B


Bahrain played a man short after Rashed A. Rahman Saif Al Doseri was ejected in the 59th minute for a rough tackle.

Who was the ref? This game was probably fixed. Don't we have Bahrain in our pockets as well?

Who was the ref?

Rummy!!!

[Uli]

Coincidentally (or not) a French-US scientist team (if that's not an omen) claim to have now confirmation of an old thesis from Plato that the universe has the shape of a soccer ball:

COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL.....................................

[Monte Smith]

Couldn't find any pics of the game, but there is this shameless propaganda from today's Army Times:



Soldiers with 82nd Airborne Division, 1st Battalion, 504th Regiment distribute school supplies and sports equipment to Iraqi school children Thursday in Abu Ghraib.

[Gordon B]

Monte, you didn't look hard enough!

[Monte Smith]

True, Gordon. And then there is this:


Ali Wistect and Iraq's national team are feeling less pressure to win in the post-Saddam Hussein era.
AP