Iraqi Game Draws Thousands

In a sign of the improving conditions in Iraq, several thousand supporters turned out in the capital city of Baghdad recently for a game between two local teams. The match, between Police College and Baghdad's most popular club Al-Zawra, marked the return of premier league football to a land torn apart by war and sectarian violence.Played on a dusty field inside Al-Shaab Stadium stadium, many spectators sported the green jerseys of their country's national team. With the facility protected by Iraqi tanks and armored vehicles, as well as the occasional patrol by U.S. humvees, the game went off without incident. It was only the second time in 18 months that Baghdad was able to host a match, as mortar attacks had previously forced authorities to move games out of the capital for safety reasons.

Violence in the country has fallen to a two-year low, attributed in part to a military surge of 30,000 additional troops that was unpopular at home, but seems to now be paying dividends.

"Soon we will see large crowds again. Iraqis love football. Fans will return," said Khalid Mahmud, a sports shop-owner from central Baghdad.

Iraq's national team made headlines in July when they defeated Saudi Arabia to secure the AFC Asian Cup crown, and also booked a place in the 2009 Confederations Cup, to be held in South Africa. There, they will face some of the world's best soccer programs, including Brazil, Italy and the United States as a prelude to the 2010 FIFA World Cup.