My beloved country Iraq shock Australia with 3-1 win

It was nice to read about the Iraqi win at a time when the killing of our innocent people is still continuous. It made me and every Iraqi happy to watch our people going out into the streets of Baghdad in a united celebration.

I was proud to see the following reports on the net about our Iraqi football team beating Australia 3-1:

The Socceroos fell behind after a 22nd-minute goalkeeping clanger by Mark Schwarzer, only to equalise through Mark Viduka but they were badly exposed defensively again for the Iraqis to wrap it up with two more goals.

The bumbling loss heaps further pressure on under-fire coach Graham Arnold, with chants of "Arnold out" from the travelling Australian fans.

Iraq now share the lead in Group A with Thailand, 2-0 winners over Oman Thursday, with the pair favourites to go into the quarter-finals after Monday'sfinal pool games.


Iraq Shock Australia With 3-1 Win Australia’s Asian Cup hopes are hanging by a thread after an emphatic 3-1 defeat at the hands of Iraq in Bangkok.
Iraq Shock Australia With 3-1 Win
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The Iraqis were the better team for the majority of the game and could have won by a more emphatic scoreline against an Australian side that improved little from their opening game 1-1 draw with Oman.

To make matters worse for under-fire coach Graham Arnold, Lucas Neill was shown a second yellow card for dissent in the final minute.

The West Ham defender will have to sit out Monday's match with co-hosts Thailand - a game that the Socceroos must win in order to keep quarter-final hopes alive.

After Iraq took an early lead, Australia got back into the game through Mark Viduka at the start of the second half but were undone by two subsequent Iraqi goals.

Australia started at a much higher tempo than five days previously but Younis Mahmoud, Iraq’s goalscorer against Thailand, went close in the ninth minute, turning Brett Emerton and forcing Mark Schwarzer to tip the ball over.

The Socceroos had most of the possession of a foul-strewn half but rarely troubled their opponents.

Soccer: Iraq upsets Australia, 3-1, in Asian Cup
Reuters
Published: July 13, 2007


BANGKOK: Iraq pulled off a stunning 3-1 upset of Australia at the Asian Cup on Friday to leave the tournament favorite in danger of an embarrassing early exit.

Nashat Akram scored on a free kick in the first half after a terrible mistake from the Australian goalkeeper, Mark Schwarzer, and Hawar Mulla Mohammad and Karrar Jassim Mohammad capitalized on further defensive errors to find the net after halftime.

The Socceroos briefly drew level when their captain, Mark Viduka, scored just after halftime, but were otherwise outplayed by a team that had to train and play qualifiers in neutral Jordan because of the war in their homeland.

"I told you all before the game and no one believed me," Iraq's Brazilian coach, Jorvan Vieira, said at a news conference. "I know my players, I know these men. I knew they could win, and we proved today we can do anything."