Photo By Spc. Paul Harris | Members of the Republic of Georgia show their national pride as their team plays in...... read more read more
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BAQUBAH, Iraq (July 4, 2006) -- Six teams competed in the first World Cup soccer tournament held over the course of four days at Forward Operating Base Warhorse near Baqubah, Iraq.
The event was organized by a joint venture of the Morale, Welfare and Recreation office and the public affairs office from 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Task Force Band of Brothers.
The teams competing in the tournament were Nepal, Iraq, Republic of Georgia, two teams from Turkey and two teams from the U.S. military, 3rd Special Troops Battalion and 64th Brigade Support Battalion both with 3rd HBCT.
MWR was able to provide regulation goals, nets, soccer balls, cones and even lined the dirt field with chalk to create a near regulation field. A Kellogg, Brown and Root employee who is a qualified referee in his native England agreed to volunteer to referee games further adding class to the tournament.
The first game in Group A pitted Soldiers from 64th BSB versus base workers from Nepal. The game started out stagnate drawing to 0-0 tie at the half. Once the two teams got the cobwebs out, a more spirited second half of soccer was played with better combinations and before the end of regulation the Nepalese produced a brilliant attack to beat the 64th BSB keeper, Sgt. 1st Class Brian Wojciechowski, medical operations sergeant, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 64th BSB, with a goal to win the inaugural game.
The Nepalese player took the ball past our defense and made a good shot, it was a good score, said, 1st Lt. Forest Gibson, platoon leader, Company A, 64th BSB.
Gibson was happy just to come out for a couple of hours to play soccer, taking his mind off the war for a while.
"As far as playing out here it is great for the multinational culture of the base. It is great for competition," Gibson said. "I was telling my friends and family if I have to be playing in interceptor body armor system and Kevlar then I am going to be playing."
The second game in Group A brought together Turkey's first team versus the home country team of Iraq. Turkey's team was made up of tailors from GQ Tailors, a local tailor shop on the base. The Iraqi team was made up mostly of interpreters with a few laborers mixed in.
With their 2004 Olympic team replica uniforms bought from the streets of Baghdad, team Iraq played with precision and skill after giving up an early goal to the Turks. The Iraqi team jumped to a 2-1 lead shortly before the half.
The second half was hard fought between both teams and Iraq went ahead with a goal scored off a beautiful passing combination to make the score 3-1. The Iraqi defense held tough, fighting off numerous Turkish attacks and conceding a penalty shot late in the game, to a dominating win 3-2.
"My strategy was to keep my better players for the second half; I might make better plans for the second game," said Ritchie the Iraqi team captain who works as an interpreter on FOB Warhorse.
"My team played as well as they could, I told my team congratulations on the win but next time we need to play better."
The first game in Group B placed Sierra Leone versus the Republic of Georgia. The Georgians dominated early and never looked back. Even the talented Bobson, a base laborer from Sierra Leone who wore a t-shirt with wonder boy on the back could not hold the Georgians off and his team was soundly defeated 7-3.
The second game in Group B started off with a bit of controversy. The Turks promised the organizers of the event they had enough players to field two, full teams. Turkey's second team fielded four players for the game against 3rd STB that had played in the previous game. In the spirit of the game and for competitions sake the captain for 3rd STB, Pfc. Jerre Byrd, generator mechanic, Company A, 3rd STB, agreed to let the four players from Turkey team one play for Turkey team two. The games themselves had generated a buzz around the base and a large contingent of Iraqi workers turned out with two, big, American flags and a drum to sing songs and cheer on their American counterparts.
Unfortunately the motivation from the crowd could not propel the Americans past the Turks as they lost 3-2.
"We supported the Iraqis for their game", said Byrd. "So it felt great for them to come out and support us. It felt like we were making an impact out here in our countries relations."
In the semifinal matches, Nepal edged Iraq 5-4 on penalty kicks after the two sides played to a 1-1 draw in regulation time. Georgia continued its dominant performance with a 7-1 drubbing of Turkey team two.
The finals proved to be no exception to the Georgian juggernaut; it pounded Nepal 13-0 to claim the inaugural title.
| Date Taken: | 07.06.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 07.06.2006 11:18 |
| Story ID: | 7054 |
| Location: | BAQUBAH, IQ |
| Web Views: | 218 |
| Downloads: | 136 |
This work, 'Warhorse Cup' draws international teams, fans, by SPC Paul Harris, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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