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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Palestinian football returns home | Palestinian football returns home |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The Palestinian football team has played its first international match on home soil. | The Palestinian football team has played its first international match on home soil. |
| In a newly built stadium in the West Bank, the Palestinians took on Jordan in a friendly - the game finished 1-1. | In a newly built stadium in the West Bank, the Palestinians took on Jordan in a friendly - the game finished 1-1. |
| Until now, the team has been forced to play home fixtures in Jordan or Qatar and Israel has denied some players from the Gaza Strip permission to travel. | Until now, the team has been forced to play home fixtures in Jordan or Qatar and Israel has denied some players from the Gaza Strip permission to travel. |
| But this time all Gaza-based players were allowed to take part in the historic fixture. | But this time all Gaza-based players were allowed to take part in the historic fixture. |
| The game was also attended by Fifa President Sepp Blatter and other dignitaries from across the Arab world. | The game was also attended by Fifa President Sepp Blatter and other dignitaries from across the Arab world. |
| Palestinian fans filled the new stadium hours before the start of the match. | Palestinian fans filled the new stadium hours before the start of the match. |
| And huge crowds outside the ground were in rapture at the scoring of the first Palestinian goal on home soil by Ahmed Kashkash from the Gaza Strip. | And huge crowds outside the ground were in rapture at the scoring of the first Palestinian goal on home soil by Ahmed Kashkash from the Gaza Strip. |
| There are of course still huge problems here because of the conflict and the Israeli occupation. | There are of course still huge problems here because of the conflict and the Israeli occupation. |
| Israel controls access to the West Bank and movement within it. Coach Izzat Hamzah says that has had an impact on his team and its preparations. | Israel controls access to the West Bank and movement within it. Coach Izzat Hamzah says that has had an impact on his team and its preparations. |
| Held at checkpoints | Held at checkpoints |
| "We have many players outside Palestine - they cannot be allowed to come here because of the occupation," he said. | "We have many players outside Palestine - they cannot be allowed to come here because of the occupation," he said. |
| He said that players coming from various parts of the West Bank had been held up at checkpoints. | He said that players coming from various parts of the West Bank had been held up at checkpoints. |
| Members of the squad from the Gaza Strip have missed many games in the past through being denied permission to leave Gaza, but they were allowed to participate this time. | Members of the squad from the Gaza Strip have missed many games in the past through being denied permission to leave Gaza, but they were allowed to participate this time. |
| Since its recognition by Fifa 10 years ago, the Palestinian team has had to stage its "home" internationals elsewhere. | Since its recognition by Fifa 10 years ago, the Palestinian team has had to stage its "home" internationals elsewhere. |
| But many people in the stadium said that Sunday's historic event has given them a sense of pride and as one fan described it, "a taste of freedom". | But many people in the stadium said that Sunday's historic event has given them a sense of pride and as one fan described it, "a taste of freedom". |