Sports

Thursday July 26, 2007

Iraqi goalkeeper dedicates victory to his compatriots

KUALA LUMPUR: Iraq’s goalkeeping hero Noor Sabri (pic) dedicated his team’s fighting win here yesterday to reach the Asian Cup final to his beleaguered compatriots in his war-ravaged homeland.

Noor made a crucial save to steer Iraq to a 4-3 win on penalties over South Korea to advance to their first tournament final, in Jakarta on Sunday.

The Iraqis, the inspirational story of the Asian Cup, will play off for the trophy against former title-holders Saudi Arabia.

Noor illustrated the grim personal cost his team-mates have endured to play at the Asian Cup and how they are playing their part in lifting spirits for those suffering in the Iraq conflict.

“You know the current situation in Iraq and the difficulties we are going through,” man-of-the-match Noor told a post-match press conference.

“Four days before we came to Bangkok my wife’s brother died and my team-mate Hawar Mohammed lost his step-mother.

“We know we are struggling inside Iraq and we are struggling on the playing field because it is a very modest thing we can give to our people.

“We have to struggle, we have to show them that we are sharing all what we are achieving here.”

The decisive breakthrough came in the shoot-out when Noor pushed Yeom Ki-hun’s attempt past the post and then Kim Jung-woo’s shot hit the post and bounced away. – AFP

  • E-mail this story
  • Print this story

Sports Poll