KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- When Saddam Hussein still ruled, Iraq's soccer players understood the consequences of a missed goal or poor play.
"Before the war, if we lost a game, it was very difficult," midfielder Ali Waheb Setet said. "We knew what would happen -- we would be sent directly to jail after a very bad game."
The players no longer fear physical punishment. Instead, they have new motivation for their first Asia Cup since Saddam was overthrown, hoping to bring some cheer to weary citizens at home.
Iraq plays Bahrain on Wednesday before facing Malaysia and Myanmar later in the week. The team is vying for one of the top two spots in the qualifying group to advance to the 2004 Asia Cup in China.
The Asia Cup will give the strongest look yet at post-Saddam Iraqi soccer. The team finished second to Uruguay in the LG Peace Cup in Iran, and in Olympic qualifiers, it lost to North Korea and tied Vietnam.
But Iraq's performances have been overshadowed by stories of abuse that surfaced after U.S.-led forces captured Baghdad in April.
Saddam's son, Odai, was in charge of Iraqi sports and reportedly punished poor performances with torture. In some cases, he allegedly forced players who missed shots during games to kick stone balls.
In other cases, torturers allegedly ripped toenails off players or put their feet in boiling water. A lighter punishment might mean being jailed and deprived of food.
"There was so much pressure from Odai," said Setet, who spoke recently during a break from training in Malaysia. "But we feel so bad to talk about it. We want to forget all the bad things and the bad people."
Other players also refused to discuss their ordeals -- but insisted their old fears of severe punishment are gone.
"In the past, we were afraid. Always, all the time," captain Husam Fawzi Naji said. "We knew we must try not to lose. Now, every player is free, and this is better."
Iraq appeared in the 1986 World Cup, but hasn't been considered an Asian power since Odai's pressures led to an exodus of talent. Odai and brother Qusai were killed in a shootout with U.S. troops in July.
Soccer is hugely popular in Iraq and considered a unifying force in a nation made up of rival religious and ethnic groups.
"If we win, I know our people will be happy," Naji said. "Our people need this happiness. Everyone is very tired from all the fighting."
But the team acknowledges that with more international games -- two in Australia next month -- making a big splash will be hard.
"We need new stadiums. We still need money for our equipment. We need the support from the other Asian associations," goalkeeper Saad Naser Jamil said.
FIFA, the sport's governing body, has earmarked $400,000 to rebuild Iraqi soccer federation headquarters, which was destroyed during the war.
The Asian Football Confederation is reviewing the country's stadiums, and plans are in the works to revive the domestic league.
"We admire their courage and dedication," AFC general secretary Peter Velappan said. "I expect them to recapture the past glories of Iraqi football within the next five years."
Iraq coach Bernd Stange, who once led East Germany's team, arranged for his squad to train in Germany before the Asia Cup qualifiers.
"We are ready for competition, and we want to win," Stange said. "I think Iraqi soccer still has a bright future."
