Celebration for Oman first Victory against Iraq on GCC Cup 2009

The cars had started honking, breaking the silent nights. Thousands of people, decked out in red, were out there on the streets dancing. Oman…Oman…they chanted together, to be heard from heavens above. With the first big win, the coveted Gulf Cup has already been won, it seemed. People of the Sultanate cannot think otherwise.

Indeed, the celebrations that broke loose from the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex stadium literally took the country’s capital by storm. “How was Oman today? Don’t you think the Cup is ours this time?” yelled youths who stuck out their heads out from passing cars. This is no celebration but just a tip of the iceberg; it’s written clearly on their faces.

Claude Le Roy and his boys were determined to win the match against Iraq in a big way. And the thousands of ardent soccer fans who thronged the stadium knew they would, and they knew their role, as clearly stated by a fuming Ali Al Habsi at the end of the first match against Kuwait that ended in a goalless draw. They came prepared this time to cheer the team to victory, not giving their vocal chords a single minute’s rest. Jam-packed was the stadium even hours before the start of the match. And it didn’t take even a fraction of a second for Ali who stepped into the ground for the warm-up session to understand that his appeal had found the target. The stadium rose to greet him and the entire team, and it never sat back.

The stadium, that housed about 26,000 people, shook at the 24th minute. It went crazy at the 50th, and what happened after the 65th and 79th minutes could only have been felt. Celebrations had begun and the night was still young.

In jubilant mood were the players after their teams’ big victory. They removed their shirts to fling them on to the waiting fans in the stands. Displaying true sportsmanship, Ahmed Mubarak Kanu didn’t ignore the Iraqi support, whose cheering was sunk by the great roar. His shirt was for them.

The celebrations found the streets in no time. Cars honked and moved slowly with youngsters, and even kids atop, waving flags and ignoring police warnings. Traffic on the main roads slowed down as people headed to the Qurum beach area. They moved from one round-about to another, circling the city. This night was theirs.

It’s just the beginning. If the fireworks at Hotel Atlantis that lit up the Dubai sky could be visible from space, Oman would be heard and seen from the moon once they win the final battle.