Palestinian national soccer team reaches Asian Cup last 16
In first, Palestinians squeezes through as one of the four best third-placed teams
The Palestinian national soccer team reached the Asian Cup knockout rounds for the first time on Tuesday with its maiden win in the history of the competition.
Syria also made history by reaching the last 16 in Qatar, with Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates advancing as well on another night of high drama.
The Palestinian national team narrowly missed out on the second spot in Group C but squeezed through as one of the four best third-placed teams after beating Hong Kong 3-0.
The victory 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.
Palestinian players and staff have lost loved ones in the conflict and said before the tournament that they hoped to provide some comfort to those suffering back home.
Oday Dabbagh scored once in each half and Zeid Qunbar grabbed another before the Palestinian team was given a late scare when Hong Kong missed a penalty.
“Thank you to the fans who are coming to support Palestine,” captain Musab Al-Battat told beIN SPORTS after the game. “Thank you from our heart.”
UAE went through in second place despite losing 2-1 to group winners Iran.
Syria also reached the knockout rounds for the first time with a 1-0 win over Igor Stimac’s India in Group B.
Omar Khribin was Syria’s hero, his 76th-minute goal also confirming China’s early exit from the competition.
China had hoped to sneak through with its third place and two points in Group A.
It failed to score in any of its three matches.
Australia topped Group B following a 1-1 draw with Uzbekistan, with Hector Cuper’s Syria progressing with those two teams as one of the best third-placed teams.
India came bottom and is heading home with no wins or goals.
“We are very happy with the qualification, very proud of my players, they made huge sacrifices to get this result,” the veteran Argentine coach Cuper said.
“We played the game with one aim in our mind — to win, and we managed to do that. We don’t want to stop here.”
Despite another early exit — in what was a hard group — Stimac said India would take home “good lessons.”
“It was a learning experience for the boys,” he said, having seen his team beaten 2-0 by Australia and 3-0 by Uzbekistan. “My satisfaction is that we managed to create chances against Australia, Uzbekistan and Syria.”
In the other game between Uzbekistan and Australia, who had already qualified, the Socceroos took a controversial lead through a Martin Boyle penalty in first-half stoppage time.
A VAR (video assistant referee) check harshly ruled that the ball had hit Uzbek defender Odiljon Hamrobekov’s hand in the build-up as he slid in to tackle Australian forward Kusini Yengi.
Boyle dispatched the penalty low into the corner.
“If this is a penalty, I don’t understand the rules. There is no intention,” said Uzbekistan coach Srecko Katanec.
The Uzbeks, who have been touted as outsiders for the title, leveled 12 minutes from time when substitute Azizbek Turgunboev got on the end of a cross to head home.
On Wednesday, pre-tournament favorites Japan will look to get its tournament back on track and seal its spot in the knockouts when it faces Indonesia, who can also still advance.
Japan were stunned 2-1 by Iraq last time out, putting the Iraqis through.
