Baghdad, Iraq – Tens of thousands of Iraqis from the Shiite south to the Kurdish dominated north poured into the usually treacherous streets Sunday to celebrate a rare moment of joy and unity when the national team won Asia’s most prestigious soccer tournament.
The revelers spanning the country’s sectarian and ethnic divisions danced, sang and waved flags and posters of the team after Iraq beat three-time champion Saudi Arabia 1-0 to take the Asian Cup.
Chants of “Long live Iraq” and “Baghdad is victorious” rang out across the country as Iraqis basked in national pride. Some of the revelers – mostly men – took their shirts off to display the red, white and black colors of the Iraqi flag painted on their chests.
Reporters with the state Iraqiya television wrapped themselves with the national flag as they interviewed people celebrating in the streets. Some joined in the chanting.
Within seconds of the final whistle, celebratory gunfire echoed across Baghdad and elsewhere despite a government ban and the threat of arrest by authorities.
At least four people were killed and scores wounded by the gunfire. But as night fell, there were no reports of bombings such as those that killed 50 and wounded dozens in Baghdad during celebrations of Iraq’s semifinal win over South Korea on Wednesday.
Authorities said they foiled a potential car bomber in southwestern Baghdad after he refused to stop at a checkpoint and appeared headed toward a crowd of revelers. Iraqi authorities had banned vehicles in and around the capital from shortly before the game began until early today to prevent a repeat of last week’s violence.
“The victory of our Iraqi soccer team is a wonderful gift to Iraqis who have been suffering from the killing, car bombs, abductions and other violent acts,” said Falah Ibrahim, a 44-year-old resident of Baghdad’s predominantly Shiite Sadr City district.
Sunday’s dramatic win capped a three- week campaign by the Iraqi team, nicknamed “The Lions of the Two Rivers.” Iraqis were captivated and spoke of hope, even as years of violence and sectarian strife have many asking if ethnically and religiously divided Iraq can survive as one nation.
The team’s players do not live in Iraq and earn their wages playing for teams across the Middle East. Because of tenuous security at home, wars and U.N. sanctions, the team had not played a home game in 17 years and must train and practice abroad.
In Najaf, the Shiite holy city south of Baghdad, 31-year-old teacher Mohammed Hussein said that Sunday’s joy over the soccer tournament would be short-lived.
“The Iraqi team has brought joy and victory,” he said. “We are happy, but this will not last long because the politicians will bring us back to disputes and sadness tomorrow.”
Meanwhile in northern Iraq, gunmen fired on shoppers in a Shiite Turkomen village near the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, killing seven people and wounding six, police said.
Two U.S. soldiers also were killed Sunday – one by small-arms fire north of Baghdad and another in fighting in an eastern section of the capital, the military said.
