Bassel Alhamdo

Sep 18, 2024 | occrp.org | Bassel Alhamdo |Ahmad Haj Hamdo |Antoine Harari |Lara Dihmis

It was midway through the second half when Syria’s young forward, Mohammed al-Hamwi, pounced on a header across goal and knocked it past the Italian keeper,putting his country on the path to one of its most dramatic international soccer victories. Syria’s 2-1 triumph over Italy in the group stages of the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship electrified the nation, and crowned a run of eye-catching wins by the youth team over the previous decade and a half.