May 3 – Clinching a bronze medal at the U23 Asian Cup with a 2-1 extra-time victory against Indonesia, Iraq claimed Asia’s third and final ticket for the Olympic Games.
The Iraqis will join Japan and Uzbekistan in Paris at the men’s football tournament after defeating the Indonesians, who had dreamed of returning to the Olympic Games for the first time since 1956. Zaid Tahseen’s strike cancelled out Ivar Jenner’s 19th-minute goal for Indonesia before Ali Jassim found the winner in extra time.