On Tuesday, the Palestinian national football team qualified for the Round of 16 in the AFC Asian Cup for the first time in its history. This milestone was achieved following a decisive 3-0 victory over Hong Kong in the final match of Group C.
Despite numerous challenges faced by Palestinian sports over decades, including stringent Israeli restrictions and a devastating war waged by Israel on the Gaza Strip since October 7, which has claimed the lives of over 25,000 Palestinians, including athletes, the team triumphed.
The match, held at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Qatar, saw Oday Dabbagh score twice, in the 12th and 60th minutes, and Zaid Qanber add another goal in the 48th minute.
This victory, the first-ever for the Palestinian team in the tournament, brought their points total to four, securing third place in Group C based on goal difference behind the UAE. The UAE finished second in the group after a 2-1 loss to Iran, who topped the group with a perfect record.
The “Fida’i” team secured their spot in the Round of 16 as one of the four best third-placed teams. This is the first time they have advanced past the group stage in their third participation in the Asian Cup, following their previous appearances in 2015 and 2019.