Qatar crushes Iraq football hopes

Version 0 of 1.

Qatar have beaten Iraq in the Asian Games football final.

Millions of Iraqis were hoping for a rare piece of good news, uniting behind their national team - but the squad lost 1-0 to the hosts.

Qatar dominated the game and defender Bilal Rajab headed home after 63 minutes to win a ninth title for his country at the games in Doha.

It was the first final the Iraqi team had reached in 24 years. They won the Asian Games title in 1982.

Football is Iraq's most popular sport.

The BBC's Andrew North in Baghdad says the final was perhaps the only thing bringing the country together.

People had been rushing to shops buy flags and the green and white national jersey.