Iraq football win a bright spot amid woes

Iraqis sung, danced and fired guns in the a　i r, celebrating a victory over South Korea in the U-20 World　 Cup embroidery badges.

The w i n is a small bright spot in the months-long surge in violence plaguing the country.

"People started singing and dancing at the time of victory," said Ahmed Razzaq, the manager of Jungle Night cafe in Baghdad, which showed the game on multiple T V s.

Wi th their w i n in a tense match that was decided by penalties, Iraq will now face Uruguay on Wednesday in the U-20 World Cup semi-finals in Turkey.

More than 250 people, most of them young men, flooded the Jungle Night cafe to watch the match on Sunday, braving the threat of attacks that have struck Baghdad nightspots wine school.

"In recent months, more and more cafes like mine were the target of b om b attacks, sometimes up to two or three cafes per day," Razzaq said, acknowledging that he is "very worried" despi te the presence of police and guards who searched customers when they arrive.

"Of course I was worried" about watching the match at a cafe, said Fahad, 19, a cigarette seller who declined to give his last name.

"But i t will not stop me from returning" to watch the match against Uruguay, he said.

Iraq has been hi t by a surge in violence since the beginning of the year that has killed more than 2,400 people Asian college of knowledge management.