Excitement builds as Palestinian soccer team to make debut in Asian Cup last 16
Striker Tamer Seyam says Monday night’s game against host Qatar will be a ‘celebration’ for fans who may find themselves supporting both teams
Palestinian striker Tamer Seyam said Monday’s historic Asian Cup last-16 match against host Qatar will be a “celebration” for fans who find themselves in the unusual position of rooting for both teams in the soccer contest.
The Palestinian national team has reached the knockout rounds for the first time despite a deeply troubled build-up overshadowed by the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip that began with a massive Hamas terror attack on October 7.
Some of the players have lost loved ones and have families trapped in Gaza. The team trained and played matches abroad in the lead-up to their third Asian Cup.
Fans of other teams in Qatar have been vocal in their support of the Palestinian team, which qualified with a 3-0 win over Hong Kong in its final group match.
The Palestinian team is to play the hosts and holders at the 68,000-capacity Al-Bayt Stadium and Seyam said on the eve of the game that it was “an honor” to have supporters of other teams cheering for them.
“For the first time in Asia there will be fans supporting two teams,” said the 31-year-old, who scored the Palestinians’ first goal of the tournament against Iran in a 4-1 defeat. “It will be a football celebration, but on the pitch, it is a competition.”
The contest in Doha comes against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war, which broke out on October 7 when Hamas terrorists from Gaza killed some 1,200 people in southern Israel and took another 253 hostages of all ages, amid horrific acts of brutality.
Israel’s ensuing military campaign, aimed at rooting out Hamas, has killed over 25,000 people in Gaza, according to unverified figures by the terror group’s health ministry that are believed to include thousands of its members as well as civilians killed by misfired Palestinian rockets. Israel says it has killed over 9,000 Hamas and other terror group operatives in Gaza.
The Palestinian soccer team began its campaign with the Iran defeat but drew 0-0 with the United Arab Emirates before beating Hong Kong.
They face a tough test against Qatar, which has won all three of its matches without conceding a goal and will be expected to win.
But coach Makram Daboub said, “The pressure will be more on the Qatar team.”
“We achieved our main goal and we have no pressure,” he said. “We will try to deliver, and anything is possible over the 90 minutes.”
Qatar has won an astonishing 10 straight games at the Asian Cup, including all seven matches when it lifted the trophy for the first time in 2019.
Forward Akram Afif was one of the stars of the tournament five years ago and has again been in impressive form, scoring three goals so far.
Striker Almoez Ali said Qatar was “lucky to have Akram.”
“We have played together for 10 years and we understand each other very well,” said Ali, who finished as top scorer at the 2019 Asian Cup with nine goals and has scored one so far at this year’s tournament.
“He is the one that makes the chances for me to score. He has a great relationship with everyone in the team. He is like a player and a coach.”
Israel used to play in the Asian Cup, competing in the contest four times, finishing second in 1956 and 1960 and then taking first place in 1964, then sliding to third place in 1968. Though Israel qualified to host the contest in 1972 it pulled out.
The Asian Cup booted Israel out during the 1970s and the Jewish state instead joined the UEFA European Championship in 1996.
