Iraq stuns Portugal 4-2

Volvos:

Iraq stunned Portugal 4-2 and Ghana let a 2-0 lead slip against Italy on a day of surprises at the Olympic soccer tournament. Claudio Gentile's Italians hit back to tie 2-2 with the Ghanaians at Volos after being largely outplayed before half time by a team they were expected to beat easily. But the big shock was at Patras. An Iraqi team unable to play any qualifying games at home because of the war and subsequent violent conflict was expected to be outplayed by star-studded Portugal. Instead it added another chapter to its remarkable story. After handing Portugal a 13th minute lead through Haidar Jabar's own goal, Iraq hit back within three minutes through striker Emad Mohammed. Hawar Mulla Mohammed put the Iraqis ahead at the Pampeloponnisiako Stadium only for FC Porto midfielder Bosingwa to level for the Portuguese in the final minute of the first half. In the seesawing game, striker Younis Mahmoud regained the lead for Iraq, and this time there was no coming back for Portugal with substitute Salih Sadir scoring a fourth in the third minute of injury time. The victory means Iraq tops Group D. Now Portugal, one of the medal contenders, will probably have to beat both Morocco and Costa Rica, which tied 0-0 in Iraklion, to reach the quarterfinal. After its failure to beat Greece in the Euro 2004 final it hosted, first round elimination here would be humiliating. (AP)