They were already winners before the ball was even kicked. That sounds strange. Winning is essential in sport and the pain of losing hurts.
However, for Palestine, the devastating human losses suffered in recent weeks made fielding a team here at the Asian Cup a victory in itself.
It didn’t matter that they hadn’t won in seven games; their last victory was a 2-1 win over Bahrain in March. The important thing was that this team was able to play yesterday as bombs continue to hit their loved ones in Gaza since Hamas’ horrific October 7 attack on Israel.
Against Iran, ranked 21st in the world, the task ahead was always going to be difficult. Conceding two goals in the first 12 minutes showed it. However, in the stands, the many fans wearing keffiyehs (black and white checkered pieces of cloth) around their necks didn’t care.
A stand on the stadium concourse handed out green, red, white and black flags for free, and their fans waved and waved them in a show of unity.
Palestine was defeated 4-1 by Iran in its first match of the African Cup of Nations.
There was strong support for Palestine from its supporters amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
Roma striker Sardar Azmoun scored the fourth goal of Iran’s bright start to Group C.
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These were his 90 minutes of escapism. I felt abnormal as I turned left and right to witness flags being raised and applause profusely for a team that conceded goal after goal. But the wider circumstances meant this would never be a typical match.
Striker Mahmoud Wadi approached Mail Sport ahead of their training session on Saturday after receiving a phone call from home. “My cousin was killed today,” he said. ‘Thirty minutes ago I heard this.
‘It’s hard to say how I feel now. Three days ago I couldn’t contact my family but (today) I saw a video on Instagram of a car going to a hospital. I saw someone in a red jacket: this is my jacket. So I assumed it was him.
‘We tried to contact someone there, but we couldn’t. After an hour, some of my neighbors contacted my brother here and told him what happened to my cousin.
‘We need to raise awareness so people know they are still with us. This cup is very important to contain our flag and our symbols.’
Coach Makram Daboub said his team had “psychological problems” and “was suffering” due to the ongoing war. How they have the mental strength to compete in an international competition, who knows.
But when the lives of family and friends are in danger, a football game is a distraction, no matter how brief.
Makram Daboub talks to his players after the defeat at Education City Stadium
Daboub said his squad had “psychological problems” and “was suffering” because of the war.
Supporter Hany Atat, 28, whose grandparents fled Palestine during the 1948 war, said: “Of course, we are proud of them (the players). Unfortunately, we are not here to cheer football, we are here just to cheer on our national team and show the world that Palestine is there.
‘The feeling of being Palestinian, no one can change it. “Sport is a channel for us to transmit that message that we exist.”
Two members of the team, Mohammed Saleh and Wadi, were born in Gaza. Some of the players have family members trapped there. Several former clubmates have died since the October 7 attack.
By competing here, they want to send a message of hope to their countrymen in a time of need.
Daboub said: “Everyone is focused on the news and what is happening, but even with that, within each of us, from the coaching staff to the players, there is a message that we must convey to the entire world.”
Daboub said that “Palestine’s presence and what we will deliver in this tournament should be a message to the whole world that Palestine exists.”
Referee Abdulrahman al-Jassim shows a red card to Palestinian defender Mohammed Saleh, which was later withdrawn and replaced with a yellow card upon review.
‘We have the great responsibility of being ambassadors of Palestinian football and ambassadors of Palestine.
“Through the matches, our presence and what we will deliver in this tournament should be a message to the whole world that Palestine exists.”
Sport is often glibly described as a unifying force. Get everyone together, etc. Although in this case it really is. Just look at the Palestinian team.
Ataa Jaber was the captain of the Israel under-21 team. He went on to represent Palestine in June 2023. Amid Mahajna plays for the Israeli team Hapoel Umm al-Fahm. He has appeared solely in Israeli leagues since the 2016-17 season.
That message extends to the tournament itself. Earlier in the day, Takehiro Tomiyasu, the Arsenal full-back whose estimated transfer value exceeds that of Palestine’s entire 26-man squad, watched his Japanese team beat Vietnam 4-2.
Mahmoud Abu Warda, who plays for Markaz Balata, a team based in a West Bank refugee camp, faced Iran hours later in a stadium that hosted Brazil-Croatia in the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup. Circumstances tremendously different, intrinsically linked by sport.
Twelve players from the Palestinian squad play in the West Bank Premier League, a league suspended since October 7
The attacks on Gaza have made any progress in this competition a near impossible task for Palestine, emotional trauma aside.
Twelve players on their squad play in the West Bank Premier League, a division that has been suspended since October 7. In that time only two qualifying matches in November and two friendlies this month have been available to them.
That marked a stark contrast to an opponent that was undefeated in 13 games. Though tension surrounded them too, for different reasons: Iran is also torn by divisions and shaped by trauma.
Iran’s soccer team was allegedly threatened with retaliation by government officials for refusing to sing the national anthem before their 2-0 victory over Wales at the 2022 World Cup, in solidarity with fans over the death. of Mahsa Amini, 22 years old. in police custody.
And last week, footballer Amir Reza Nasr Azadani was reportedly sentenced to 16 years in prison for participating in anti-regime protests.
On Sunday, it was goals from Karim Ansarifard and Shojae Khalilzadeh that put Iran in front.
They scored two more, but Palestine’s only goal on the stroke of half-time sparked the loudest cheer of the night.
Tamer Sayem put the ball in from a deep free kick. It was his only goal, but something the fans could take home.
Palestine has two more group stage matches remaining, against the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong. But whatever the outcome, in many ways they have already won.