By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Iraq provided an inspiring moment in sports by winning the 2007 Asian Cup with a 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in Sunday's final, a beacon of hope for a nation divided by war.
A squad drawn together in ad-hoc circumstances from all parts of the Gulf, and with its players straddling the bitter and violent ethnic divides, somehow conjured an extraordinary triumph over the odds.
And it was no lucky win. Iraq dominated the final against a heavily favored Saudi Arabia, a three-time Asian Cup champion.
At the final whistle, captain and goal scorer Younis Mahmoud sprinted across the pitch with his elated teammates in pursuit before they collapsed into a pile, overwhelmed with their achievement.