Tears in Damascus as World Cup qualifying hopes dashed

Syrians cheer on their national team at the Umayyad Square in Damascus as they watch a live broadcast of the World Cup 2018 qualifying playoff football match betwen Syria and Australia on Tuesday. (AFP)

DAMASCUS: Syrians in Damascus collapsed into tears of disappointment on Tuesday as their war-torn country’s hopes of qualifying for a first ever football World Cup were dashed during extra time against Australia.
But in opposition-held territory, where some Syrians feel the national team has become a symbol of a government they despise, there were those who cheered Australia’s 2-1 win.
The prospect of the Syrian team qualifying for football’s biggest contest brought thousands of cheering fans into public squares and cafes across government-held parts of the country, including the capital Damascus.
Excitement had been building for days, and students lobbied to have lectures rescheduled so they could watch the game, which kicked off in Sydney at noon Syrian time.
Vendors hiked prices for Syria kits as demand soared for the red, black and white strip of the national team, nicknamed the Qasioun Eagles.
Dana Abu Shaar, 18, skipped university classes to watch the match at a cafe in the capital.
She was still clutching a national flag in her hand as she glumly contemplated the loss after Australia scored a crucial second goal in the second half of extra time.
“I was very excited and I expected the Syrian team to win, but now there’s sadness and a lot of disappointment because we had reached a point where there was hardly anything between us and the championships,” she said, her voice cracking.
“It’s not just about football,” she added. “The Syrian people needed this kind of joy, even if it came through sports. The Qasioun Eagles were hope to us. This is a people that has lived seven years of war and was waiting for joy, even if it came through a goal.”
In the wake of the loss, Damascus streets emptied and shops closed early.
President Bashar Assad’s office issued a statement praising the team as “heroes” despite their defeat.
“You painted joy on the faces of all Syrians,” the presidency said.
Accountant Ramez Talawi, 29, dressed in the team’s red shirt emblazoned with the national flag, had taken a day off work so he could watch the match.
“The team managed to do something that politics and men of religion could not, which is to unify the Syrian people,” he said.
“It’s the national team and it united Syrians of all political opinions, loyalists and opposition.”