Sports / Games News
Hosts Qatar beat Iraq to win soccer gold
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-12-16 13:25
DOHA, Dec 15 - Host nation Qatar won the 428th and final gold medal of
the 15th Asian Games when they beat Iraq 1-0 in a scrappy men's soccer
final on Friday.
Iraq's Alla Mostafa Abd falls as he fights for the ball with Qatar's
Abdulla Obaid Koni (R) during the men's gold medal soccer match at the
15th Asian Games in Doha December 15, 2006. [Reuters]
Defender Bilal Rajab headed home after 63 minutes to win his country a
ninth gold at the December 1-15 sports extravaganza and send a majority
of the 12,000 or so supporters in the Al-Sadd stadium into a frenzy.
"We are very happy to give this gold to everybody, to the people of Qatar
and the Emir," said substitute midfielder Younes Rahmati. "We worked very
hard for this. We trained very hard and this is the one reward."
Iraq, kicked out of the Asian Games after the invasion of Kuwait and
returning for the first time since 1986, were hoping for a first gold
medal at the Games since they won the soccer title in 1982 to bring
together their war-ravaged country.
They enjoyed more than their fair share of the ball but with just a lone
striker up front, they never threatened the Qatar goal and looked
delighted to win silver in such difficult circumstances.
"Football is the only thing that has united the Iraqi people," said Iraq
coach Yahya Manhel. "They were waiting for the gold, it would have made
them happy. But we are still happy that it went to another Arab country."
After two weeks of disappointing crowds, Qatari nationals turned out in
force for the soccer final and the stadium was filling up with
white-robed locals two hours before kickoff.
MORE ADVENTUROUS
Iraq started confidently in the first half, combining neatly in midfield
and retaining possession well but Mostafa Abd Alla was outnumbered up
front and most of their attacks petered out long before they reached
Qatar's penalty area.
Qatar's skilful midfielders made frequent forays into the Iraq half but
it was from set pieces that they looked most dangerous with Uruguay-born
Sebastian hitting the bar with a glancing header from a corner in the
eighth minute.
After 25 minutes, some neat dribbling saw Khalfan Al Khalfan skip past
three defenders but his shot from the edge of the six-yard box came off
the legs of Iraqi goalkeeper Mohammed Khadum.
The deadlock was broken eight minutes into the second half when Majdi
Siddiq's corner was headed on by Hussain Abdulrahman. Khadum got a touch
but Rajab was on hand to head it into the net.
Sebastian put the ball in the net again a minute later but was offside
and the striker hit the side netting after an hour as the hosts
threatened to run riot.
Always the more adventurous of the two sides, Qatar never looked like
relinquishing their lead once they had it and comfortably held on to
claim their first Asian Games soccer title.
"The pressure of the occasion was too much on the players at the
beginning and that's why they weren't really in control," said Qatar's
Bosnian coach Dzemaludin Musovic. "They played much better in the second
half."
Top Sports News
� China win 151st gold in Doha
� Chinese divers make clean sweep at Doha
� Barcelona cruise into world final with win
� Davenport to retire after birth of first child
� Davis helps Warriors edge past Rockets
Today's Top News
� US, China officials work for economic integration
� Authorities to stamp out power abuse
� Great Wall future more secure
� China's ultra-wealthy rev up in style
� US delegation 'pleased' with talks
Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours
Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing, Travel to Tibet
No comments:
Post a Comment