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Against all odds the Iraqi football team has done their country proud by lifting the Asian Cup at their very first try not to mention beating a strong Saudi side.A big congrats to the Iraqi team, they have now sent their fans wild back in Iraq and at least for a few moments they will be joy in the war zone country.

The hero of the day was team captain Younis Mahmoud Khalaf who scored in the 71st minute with a thumping header,the lone goal came on a corner kick from Hawar Mulla Mohammed in the second half. It cemented the underdog Iraqi national team’s place atop the Asian soccer world, a storybook run that saw the Iraqis outshine Australia, Vietnam and South Korea before toppling three-time champ Saudi Arabia in the final.

Saudi Arabia were outplayed by an Iraqi team riding high on a wave of national support.

The Iraqis created a string of chances, only to be denied by sloppy finishing and extraordinary saves from Saudi goalkeeper Yasser Al Mosailem.

Saudi Arabia had been the best attacking team in the tournament, scoring 12 goals on their way to the final, but could not find a way past the Iraqis, who had the best defence in the competition, conceding just two goals in six matches.

Few people had given Iraq any chance of winning the tournament after a haphazard preparation brought about by the war at home and facing opponents who were appearing in their sixth final in 23 years.

The next Asian Cup (2011) will be played in Qatar and this time around it will be on January not July.

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