BAGHDAD, Iraq _ Beset by daily violence, Iraqis found some solace in their soccer team's run to the final of the Asian Games, even though it ended in defeat Friday. For many home fans, just getting that far was a triumph of talent and willpower over adversity.

"It is great that our team reached this level," said Haider Qassim, a 23-year-old university student. He noted that other teams regularly trained at elite camps abroad or bolstered their ranks with foreign-born stars, while players in Iraq have endured scarce resources and security threats at home. Sectarian violence and insurgent attacks plague Iraq, and have triggered an exodus of people who can afford to leave the country.

U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and Gen. George Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, congratulated the Iraqi team.

"Their silver medal demonstrates the capabilities of the Iraqi people when they unite across sectarian lines for a common purpose," they said in a statement.

Iraq's bold bid for a gold medal at the Asian Games ended in a 1-0 loss to Qatar in the soccer final. Iraq's trip to the last round included narrow wins over Uzbekistan in the quarterfinals and South Korea in the semis, victories that set off celebratory gunfire in the streets of Baghdad and other cities.

Scattered gunfire followed the defeat on Friday, but the streets were relatively quiet. Friday is the traditional day of Muslim prayer, and many people restrict their movement in the streets out of fear for their safety.

"Despite the unstable situation, our team won the silver medal," said a contented Hewa Kameran, a 21-year-old student in the city of Sulaimaniyah in the Kurdish north. He noted that many Iraqis wanted the national team to lose during the rule of dictator Saddam Hussein, whose Sunni sect killed and jailed many opponents.

"I like our team because all sects and ethnicities can join it," said Zana Kerim, a 35-year-old Kurd. Saddam was ousted in a U.S.-led invasion, and the current team comprises Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds, a symbol of unity for a land traumatized by sectarian bloodshed.

Iraq's soccer organization used to be run by Saddam's eldest son, Odai. The dictator's son, who also oversaw Iraq's Olympic Committee, reportedly ordered the torture of players who failed to perform to his standards.

The result in Qatar was Iraq's first trip to the gold medal match since it won the soccer title at New Delhi, India in 1982.