While something as trivial as sports are used as an opiate in our country, it’s also amazing to see how they can be used to unite a divided and devastated nation. Since the national power grid has been unreliable, many Iraqis bought extra fuel just to watch the Iraqi soccer team’s match on Wednesday. Fans poured out into the streets of major cities after the national team won the semi-final. In the economically ravished and violent capital, ice cream and juice shops were even giving away free treats. Sadly, this jubilation was short lived.

More than 50 people have been killed after car bombs exploded in Baghdad near crowds of Iraqis celebrating their nation’s Asia Cup semi-final victory.

A suicide bomber exploded in a crowd of people cheering near a well-known ice cream shop in Baghdad’s western neighborhood of Mansour. At least 30 people died and about 75 were wounded, an interior ministry official said.

In a second attack, a car bomb hit an army checkpoint in east Baghdad amid vehicles filled with revelers, killing at least 20 people and wounding 60, police said.

Iraq’s national football team had earlier beaten South Korea 4 - 3 after penalties, to book their place into the Asia Cup 2007 final against Saudi Arabia.

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