Iraqi Canadians were glued to their televisions Sunday but this time, it wasn't to witness death and violence. It was to observe a nation rejoicing in national pride.
The Iraqi soccer team clinched the Asian Cup final by defeating the heavily favoured Saudi Arabia team. Fans in Canada jumped out of their seats, thrilled by the coup.
Muwaffaq Tikriti, an older gentleman watching the game with fellow revellers in Montreal, couldn't hide his tears when talking with the Canadian Press.
"We've desperately searched for something-- anything -- that could trigger a moment of happiness and joy," he said. `"I think we can finally say, this is that time."
The game was so important, some travelled across cities to watch the game with close family and friends.
Emad Sahab travelled from Windsor, ON with his son to watch the game with his sister.
"We've been downtrodden for the past four years, but today, for a moment, we can actually forget all the problems back in Iraq," said his sister Hanan Sahab. "It's true it's just sports, but we have no reason to celebrate, except this."
The win doesn't only symbolize a championship. It also means hope for a unified nation currently divided by sectarian lines.
"These players did what 256 politicians couldn't do -- they unified the country," said one fan celebrating in Toronto with an Iraqi flag draped over his shoulders. "These guys are our heroes."
Hani Alubeady, who watched the game with his friends in Winnipeg, called it a "very positive" moment.
"It's a very positive period of time that brought Iraqi's all together, whether they are Kurds, Arabs, Christian, Muslims...all together celebrating this joyful event and forgetting about their differences."
The after parties following the finals and semifinals were not without violence however. Last week 50 people were killed by insurgents who targeted celebrations after Iraq beat South Korea in the semifinals. On Sunday, four people died as revellers fired off their guns to mark the occasion despite an increased security effort from officials.
With a report from Canadian Press
