AFC Asian Cup 2007
The AFC Asian Cup 2007 Final was a football match that took place on 29 July 2007 at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia, to determine the winner of the 2007 AFC Asian Cup. Iraq defeated Saudi Arabia 1–0 with a goal from Younis Mahmoud. This victory secured Iraq's first Asian Cup title.
The Asian Football Confederation's 2007 AFC Asian Cup finals were held from July 7 to July 29, 2007. For the first time in its history, the competition was co-hosted by four nations: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The tournament was won by first-time champions Iraq, who defeated Saudi Arabia in the final. As the winner, Iraq represented the AFC at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.
The Asian Cup had previously been held every 4 years from 1956 onwards, the last cup being held in China PR in 2004. However, with the Summer Olympic Games and the European Football Championship also held in the same year as the Asian Cup (2004, 2008, 2012 etc.), the AFC decided to change their tradition and hold the tournament in 2007, and every four years henceforth from that date.
An estimated worldwide television audience of 650 million people tuned in to watch the 2007 AFC Asian Cup.
This was the first major AFC tournament in which Australia participated as a member.
Read more about this topic: Iraq National Football Team
Famous quotes containing the words asian and/or cup:
“If he roars at you as you’re dyin’
You’ll know it is the Asian Lion.”
—Carolyn Wells (1862–1942)
“In poorer lands
No one touches the water of life.
It has no taste
And though it refreshes absolutely
It is a cup that must also pass
Until everybody
Gets some advantage....”
—John Ashbery (b. 1927)