Supporters are on the edge of their seats, waving flags and singing. It is a truly electric atmosphere inside the stadium. Whoever wins will be making history. Those lucky enough to be there will remember it for the rest of their lives.
Can Qatar live the dream and take gold? Will Iraq put the struggles of their football past behind them and win their first Asian Games for 24 years?
Giants of Asian football have fallen by the wayside here in Doha. Defending champions IR Iran - losers to Qatar in the semifinals. Korea, beaten by Iraq in the last four. China, Japan. The heavy hitters go home with sore heads. The two plucky flyweights are still in the ring.
Football has proved to be one of the most popular sports of the Games, helped by Qatar's progress to the final.
Both teams are unlikely finalists, having lost a match each in the group phase and eventually qualifying for the quarterfinals as best runners-up.
Defeat to Uzbekistan in their second match threatened the hosts' progress but they eventually scraped through following a 4-1 win over United Arab Emirates. Qatar then beat Thailand 3-0 and defending champions IR Iran 2-0 to reach their first Asian Games final.
"The players are very positive and have got better match by match,"Â said Dezemaludin Musovic, the Qatar coach. "I haven't seen much of Iraq but I know they are a very strong team.
Sebastian Quintana has led Qatar's attack with four goals and has dreams of reaching the World Cup finals with his country. "My ultimate dream is to make the World Cup finals with Qatar. This is a young and talented group. We have a good infastructure, an ever-growing league and I think we can do well against the best teams in Asia."Â
Iraq, gold medallists back in 1982, have had to qualify through the preliminary rounds and have played eight matches to get to this stage. Their 17 goals have been spread around with Younes Khalef and Ali Rehema the only players to have notched twice.
"My team are exhausted,"Â admitted Iraq coach Yahya Manhel. "They have played so many matches but I have 20 years experience as a coach and I have urged the players on."Â
Minutes to go until the 16:00 kick-off, players will be pumping themselves up in the dressing room before running out on the pitch to the cheers of the crowd. Team talks are over. It's all down to 22-men on a pitch, a gold medal at stake - and who wants it most.
15th Asian Games, Doha 2006
Posted December 17th, 2006 by COBA
