Iraqi and Coalition competitors finish up a friendly game of soccer, Aug. 1 at FOB Endeavor in Najaf. U.S. Army photo by Christopher Koym.

Soldiers from the 30th Iraqi Army Brigade took on members of the 30th Military Transition Team, the Ugandan Guard Force team, the Najaf Provincial Reconstruction Team and Team Borlaug from Texas A&M.

Soldiers from the 30th IA Bde. won five to one and received England soccer jerseys. Members of the FOB Endeavor soccer team received "HOPE Tour 2008: I'm on Team Najaf" t-shirts.

The Hope Tour 2008 Iraq is a U.S. Embassy-funded project that aims to develop young Iraqi minds, said Evan McCarthy, Najaf PRT.

“The program uses soccer to provide a platform for civil society education and national youth reconciliation,” McCarthy said.