Hussein Scores Iraq's First World Cup Goal in 40 Years

A header forty years in the making

In the 39th minute at Boston Stadium, Aymen Hussein rose to meet a cross and gave Iraq its first goal at a FIFA World Cup in forty years. In the 39th minute, Aymen Hussein equalized the score for Iraq with a header from an Amir al-Ammari cross, offering the Iraqi national team its first World Cup goal in 40 years. The move began deeper in the field. Ali Jasim sent a through ball to Amir Al Ammari, who crossed into the box to their striker, Ayman Hussein. Hussein climbed, and the ball was in.

Norway had led early. A move that began with goalkeeper Orjan Nyland cycled through 14 passes before David Moller Wolfe delivered a cross from the left that Haaland slid in to poke home at the back post. Ten minutes later Hussein levelled it, and, for a moment, Iraq stood square with a side built around Erling Haaland. For much of the match, Iraq hung with Norway. The parity did not hold. Haaland then pounced on a mix-up between Zaid Tahseen and Jalal Hassan to restore Norway's advantage and send them to the break with a lead.

The second half brought chances at both ends before Norway pulled clear. Substitute Leo Ostigard, three-and-a-half minutes after his second-half arrival, extended the lead as he was left all alone at a corner to power a header past Hassan. Then the closing insult. A late Hussein own goal saw Norway complete an ultimately comfortable win. The final score read 4-1, yet the night belonged, in part, to the man who had opened Iraq's account.

A place in the line

The header carried weight beyond a single fixture. Aymen Hussein became just the second Iraqi player to score a World Cup goal. The score was just the second ever by Iraq at a World Cup. The other came in the nation's only other appearance 40 years ago. Both nations had waited to return; Iraq had been absent since 1986, Norway since 1998.

Hussein arrived as the team's vice-captain and its senior forward, and his teammates spoke of him in plain terms.

"He's a monster, in the box he's a monster, he's ice cold. He's a leader, he's our leader, one of our captains and with a strong mentality," Iraq left-back Merchas Doski told reporters after the match.

The path here was not smooth. When Iraq flew into O'Hare Airport in Chicago, Hussein was held and questioned for nearly seven hours before being allowed entrance. His coach, Graham Arnold, looked past the scoreline to the performance beneath it. "The belief the boys had, there's so many positives out of the game that I expect us to grow as a team from that," he said. France waited next, ranked third in the world.

Forty years of silence, ended by one man who kept climbing. Iraq has a goalscorer again.