Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Rio de Janeiro: As Iraq prepare to get their Rio 2016 camapign underway against Denmark on Thursday, the-afc.com looks back at when the Lions of Mesopotamia began their 2004 Olympics adeventure in Athens.with a memorable defeat of European powerhouse Portugal.
No Ordinary Iraq Side
That Iraq had even qualified for the men’s football tournament at the 2004 Olympics in Athens was - it has to be said - something of a surprise. Going into the final day of Asian qualifying, Iraq had to beat Saudi Arabia, which they duly did, 3-1, and hope Kuwait and Oman cancelled each other out with a draw. A win for either side would have given them enough points to render Iraq’s game meaningless.
However, neither side could find the net and so, on goal difference, the Lions of Mesopotamia were off to Greece.
With their country in turmoil, and drawn alongside Portugal, Costa Rica and Morocco, Iraq weren’t expected to shake up the world, but what the world didn’t know was that this was no ordinary Iraq side. Players like Younis Mahmood, Nashat Akram and Noor Sabri would go on to become household names in Asian football, and their first big statement came in the opening Group D match against the Portuguese..
Portugal had a number of highly-regarded players who had already made their senior debut for a team that had just reached the final of the UEFA Euro 2004 tournament. Little doubt then that quality players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Hugo Almedia, Raul Meireles, Hugo Viana and Jose Bosingwa were expected to carry Portugal to victory against Iraq, predictions that appeared to be well-founded when the favourites took a 13th minute lead through Haidar Abdul Jabar's own goal.
https://www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/iraq_portugal_2004_olympics_jpg.html
https://www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/younis_mahmoud_2004_jpg.html
