PRO-PALESTINE PROTESTS INTERRUPT IRELAND DRAW WITH AUSTRIA

Campaign group Stop the Game threw tennis balls onto the field before a man invaded the pitch and was tackled by security

The Republic of Ireland’s Nations League match with Austria was twice interrupted by pro-Palestine protestors on Thursday evening following the controversial decision to play against Israel during this international camp.

Ireland’s players held a meeting last week and voted in favour of playing the scheduled matches against Israel despite opposition from supporters in Ireland who are against the conflict between Israel and Palestine in Gaza.

They defeated Israel 3-0 last Sunday (Sept 27) in a match played in Hungary and are scheduled to face the Israelis again in a behind-closed-doors contest in Serbia this upcoming Sunday (Oct 4).

Despite a heavy security presence at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Thursday’s 2-2 draw with Austria was subject to protests in the first half as campaign group Stop the Game threw tennis balls onto the pitch.

The balls were wrapped in stickers featuring the Palestinian flag and had the text “#StopTheGame” written on them. The campaign group launched the balls onto the field in the 20th minute with Ireland 1-0 up and later released a statement claiming responsibility for what it called a “limited tennis ball protest”.

Members of the group had also gathered before the game to oppose Ireland's matches against Israel with a small group displaying a Palestinian flag and banners in support of Irish player Gavin Bazunu, who decided to boycott both of his team’s matches against Israel in this international window.

The game resumed after a four-minute break, but there was another brief delay later in the first half as a man carrying what appeared to be a Palestinian flag invaded the pitch before being tackled, stopped and removed by stewards.

Elsewhere, the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign also organized a protest outside the stadium, as well as others around the country calling for Ireland to boycott its remaining Nations League match against Israel.

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) decided in June to move their “home” fixture against Israel to a neutral venue for “operational reasons” following widespread calls for a boycott.

The FAI has resisted the calls not to play and argued that the team could be hit with punishing sanctions by Uefa if it did so. Ireland are co-hosting the 2028 European Championship with England, Wales and Scotland and there could be possible ramifications.

This match wasn’t the first to feature a tennis ball protest as Irish fans also threw balls with Palestinian flags onto the field during a friendly game against Qatar in Dublin in May.

- Michael Jones

ISRAEL ISSUE FURIOUS STATEMENT AFTER IRELAND MANAGER MAKES 'GENOCIDE' COMMENT

 

The Israel FA have issued a furious statement in response to Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson's 'genocide' comment ahead of their Nations League fixture on Sunday night.

A lot of controversy has surrounded the fixture, with the 'Stop the Game' campaign publishing an open letter on Monday, signed by more than 100 sporting figures, calling for the players not to fulfil upcoming fixtures against Israel as part of a continued boycott amid the ongoing Gaza War.

Ciara Mageean, Louise Quinn, Tony Ward, Joe Brolly and Colm O'Rourke were among the signatories. As per the Daily Mail, the letter claimed that pressure was being placed on the players after previous attempts to influence governing bodies and the government came to nought.

"The FAI, UEFA, and the Irish Government have all failed you by not taking decisive action and taking this out of your hands," it claimed. But while governing bodies have not taken any form of direct action against Israel, despite calls for them to do so coming well before the 2026 World Cup, Ireland's boss has now had some choice words of his own to say.

Heimir Hallgrimsson Makes 'Genocide' Comment Before Israel Fixture

The Icelandic boss used forceful language in defending his team as they prepare to take the field against a side that the Football Association of Ireland wanted to have suspended from competitions. He said over the weekend:

"And I've said before, we're not playing with genocide, we're playing against genocide.

"So, we're playing against Israel. We're not playing with Israel."

Israel has not officially recognised or accepted any allegations of genocide, strongly rejecting such claims as false and stating that its military actions in Gaza are acts of self-defense following the October 7, 2023, attacks.

However, international bodies and expert organizations have applied the term to Israel's actions, with the UN concluding last year (as per the BBC) that acts of genocide have been carried out on Palestinians - a finding that many human rights organisations agree with, as records state at least 73,919 Palestinians and over 1,200 Israelis have been killed.

Israel Hit Back With Furious Statement

As reports circulated that the Israelis were considering filing a complaint to UEFA, the Israeli FA posted on X on Monday night (see the full post below):

"We have contributed to the world and humanity in countless fields, earning an impressive number of Nobel Prizes along the way. Unfortunately, we have not yet found a cure for stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy displayed by the Republic of Ireland team coach.

"We're not playing with ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity, we're playing against the coach who embodies them." 

The Ireland chief oversaw training at Abbotstown as he fine-tunes preparations for Thursday's meeting with Kosovo in Pristina, but it's the meeting with Israel in Debrecen in Hungary on Sunday, and in Backa Topola in Serbia a week later, that continue to dominate headlines.

- Robin Mumford

LAMINE YAMAL WAVES PALESTINIAN FLAG AS BARCELONA CELEBRATE LA LIGA WIN

Tens of thousands of Barcelona fans pack streets of Spanish city during open-top bus parade after domestic football league victory.

Spanish footballer Lamine Yamal waves a Palestinian flag during the celebrations in Barcelona on May 11 [Screen grab/x/@barcacentre]

Spanish teenage superstar Lamine Yayal has garnered praise from football fans for expressing solidarity with Palestine during Barcelona’s celebrations for winning the La Liga title.

In several clips widely shared online Monday, the 18-year-old could be seen waving a Palestinian flag from inside an open-top bus to cheers from jubilant crowds.

Tens of thousands of people lined the streets of Barcelona to greet their heroes during the parade around the Spanish city.

Barca won their 29th La Liga title with a 2-0 victory over bitter rivals Real Madrid on Sunday, marking the second time the league’s outcome has been decided by the result of an El Clasico match.

Since the start of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, the city of Barcelona has served as a major hub for pro-Palestinian activism in Spain.

It has also been the site of large regular pro-Palestine protests and served as a departure point for aid flotillas attempting to break the blockade of the besieged and bombarded territory.

Barcelona players tour the city as crowds celebrate the La Liga victory [Albert Gea/Reuters]

- Al Jazeera 

ASTON VILLA V MACCABI TEL AVIV POLICE ISSUE MAJOR UPDATE AFTER NIGHT OF PROTESTS

Missiles were allegedly thrown at West Midlands Police officers near Villa Park last night where Aston Villa played Maccabi Tel Aviv, a match to which away supporters were banned

Police officers escort a woman with an Israeli flag away from Pro-Palestinian protesters outside Villa Park(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Eleven people — including a child — were arrested last night following protests around Villa Park where Aston Villa played Maccabi Tel Aviv, police confirmed.

West Midlands Constabulary said in its latest update the suspects were mostly detained for racism offences near the ground, which hosted the Europa League clash.

Around 200 protesters — including members of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, gathered near Villa Park's Trinity Road Stand — before the match to demand Israel is excluded from international football. Palestinian flags and banners calling for a boycott of Israel were placed on the ground beside Trinity Road amid pro-Palestinian chants.

But eleven people were arrested amid the tensions, including a 17-year-old boy who police say was issued with a dispersal order but refused to leave. A 21-year-old man tried to throw fireworks into the ground, West Midlands Constabulary added. It was also reported missiles were thrown at officers.

Pro-Palestinian protesters gather outside the stadium in Birmingham(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)

Hundreds of extra officers were on duty in Birmingham on Thursday night. Chief Supt Tom Joyce, Birmingham Police Commander, said: "Our officers are being supported by officers from up and down the country as part of mutual aid. This has definitely been one of the most contentious and controversial matches we've hosted for some time, but our priority, really clearly, is public safety."

Five flatbed vehicles were driven past the ground prior to kick-off carrying electronic billboards showing messages opposing antisemitism.

One of the messages, beside a Star of David, read "Ban hatred not fans" while another carried a quote from Thierry Henry saying football is not about goals but bringing people together.

Hundreds of extra police officers were on duty to cover the demonstrations(Image: Getty Images)

But while violence did not happen, confrontations occurred and police made the 11 arrests. These were;

• A 63-year-old man arrested for a racially aggravated public order offence after he was heard shouting racist abuse during a road rage incident near Villa Park

• A 21-year-old man arrested after refusing to remove a face covering while a Section 60 order was in place

• A 17-year-old who was issued with a dispersal order but refused to leave

• A 34-year-old arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence after shouting abuse towards pro-Israel demonstrators

• A 29-year-old man arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence after shouting abuse towards pro-Israel demonstrators. He was also arrested for possession of class B drugs

• A 67-year-old man arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence after shouting racist abuse at a police officer

• A 32-year-old man arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence after shouting racist abuse towards a pro-Palestine group

• A man aged 21 arrested after trying to throw fireworks into the ground

• A man arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply drugs.

West Midlands Police stress it understands the right to protests but had to ensure members of the public in and around Villa Park were safe. Unai Emery's side, currently bottom half of the Premier League, laboured to a 2-0 win against Maccabi Tel Aviv.

- Bradley Jolly

UEFA TO HOLD FRESH VOTE ON BANNING ISRAEL FROM EUROPEAN FOOTBALL OVER GAZA

Geneva: UEFA is reportedly moving ahead with a new vote next week on whether to suspend Israel from European football competitions, according to multiple media reports.

The Associated Press (AP) reported that a large majority of UEFA’s executive committee is ‘expected to support any vote in favor of suspending Israeli teams from international play.’

The possible ban follows mounting calls from human rights bodies and pressure campaigns pointing to Israel’s genocide in Gaza. 

The impetus for the proposal comes in part from a United Nations Commission of Inquiry, which concluded there were “reasonable grounds” to determine that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. 

If the vote passes, Israel’s national side would be expelled from UEFA qualifiers, effectively ending its chance to compete in the 2026 World Cup. 

Domestically, Israeli clubs would be barred from continental club tournaments like the Champions League and Europa League.

Last week, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called for Israel to be barred from international sporting competitions, drawing a comparison to Russia’s exclusion following the 2022 Ukraine war.

- The Peninsula 

SPAINS VUELTA FINAL STAGE ABANDONED DUE TO PALESTINIAN SOLIDARITY PROTESTS

 

MOHAMMED SALAH CALLS OUT UEFA OVER TRIBUTE TO PALESTINIAN FOOTBALLER: "CAN YOU TELL HOW HE DIED?"

Mohammed Salah questioned UEFA's tribute to a Palestinian footballer who allegedly died in Gaza, awaiting aid.

AFP

As the Israel-Gaza conflict continues, UEFA's tribute to Palestinian footballer Suleiman al-Obeid triggered a storm on social media. "Farewell to Suleiman al-Obeid, the 'Palestinian Pele', a post from UEFA read on X, but a big debate was triggered as Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah asked the European football governing body to highlight the reason behind Suleiman's death. It was then that the post went viral on social media, drawing reactions from pundits and fans from all across the globe.

Paying tribute to Suleiman, UEFA called the former national team member "a talent who gave hope to countless children, even in the darkest of times."

Salah responded: "Can you tell us how he died, where, and why?"

UEFA, however, didn't respond to the Liverpool superstar's question.

A fan ended up asking Grok, X's AI assistant, about the reason behind Suleiman's death. The response was heartbreaking.

Suleiman al-Obeid, the 'Palestinian Pelé'. 

"Suleiman al-Obeid, 41, died on Aug 6, 2025, in southern Gaza while awaiting aid. Palestinian Football Association reports he was killed by Israeli forces targeting civilians. No specific IDF comment; Israel generally denies such actions, citing militant threats or warning shots. Sources: France24, Times of Israel," Grok said.

The Palestinian Football Association (PFA) later posted a statement on its Facebook page attributed to UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, calling Al-Obeid "proof of the joy that can flourish in the hearts of people despite hardship.

"He gave his talent and dedication to the children of Gaza and gave their dreams a hope to blossom despite the suffering," the statement read.

"His death is a great loss to the world of football and to everyone who recognises the power of sport to unite people."

"He gave his talent and dedication to the children of Gaza and gave their dreams a hope to blossom despite the suffering," the statement read.

"His death is a great loss to the world of football and to everyone who recognises the power of sport to unite people."

It isn't the first time Salah has raised his voice for Palestinians. The Liverpool star previously advocated for humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza and called for "world leaders to come together to prevent further slaughter of innocent souls".

- NDTV Sports Desk

NORWAY REFUSES TO PLAY WITH ISRAEL | WANTS EXPULSION

 

PSG'S ULTRAS UNVEIL HUGE 'FREE PALESTINE' BANNER'

PSG's ultras unveil a huge banner ahead of the Champions League game against Atlético.

TOKYO CHAMP WONGPATTANAKIT DEFENDS TAEKWONDO TITLE.IN PARIS

Thailand’s Panipak Wongpattanakit celebrates on the podium with her medal after winning the gold medal of taekwondo women’s -49kg event of the Paris Olympics 2024 at the Grand Palais in Paris on August 7, 2024. (Photo by David GRAY / AFP

PARIS -- Panipak Wongpattanakit retired on a perfect note as she became the first Thai athlete in any sport to become a two-time Olympic champion on Wednesday.

Wongpattanakit defended her Tokyo Games title to secure Thailand's first gold medal of the Paris Olympics and Park Tae-joon restored South Korea's pride on the opening day of the taekwondo competition.

Wongpattanakit, who confirmed she will end her career, celebrated the gold by grabbing a Thai flag after jumping into her coach's arms.

"I have so much pain," she said on the eve of her 27th birthday. "I had a broken knee. And my ankle, my hip... Now, I have to retire."

Wongpattanakit, who comfortably won her three opening bouts to reach the final of the 49-kilogram category, trailed in the first round against Guo Qing of China but rallied with two consecutive kicks to the body and head.

Guo fought back to force a decider, but Wongpattanakit prevailed after video reviews showed that she had successfully landed two spectacular head kicks.

Under the new rules introduced in Paris, bouts are decided on a best-of-three format rather than cumulative points.

Taekwondo is South Korea's national martial art, and the country suffered a humiliation in Tokyo, where it failed to win a single gold medal for the first time since the sport became a medal event in 2000.

Park set the record straight by routing his opponent in a brutal final for the gold medal.

"It was my childhood dream," Park said.

In the men's 58 kilos class, Park demolished Gashim Magomedov of Azerbaijan, who soldiered on but retired injured.

After contact with his opponent's leg in the opening round, Magomedov crashed to the canvas, clutching his left leg in pain. He was attended to by doctors and managed to resume the fight.

Trailing 7-0 with 14 seconds left, he limped and sat again to receive further treatment, losing the round without scoring a point. Magomedov was helped off the canvas but returned for the second round and continued without threatening his opponent, who capped off his masterpiece with a superb turning kick to the head.

Magomedov's ordeal continued a bit longer as Park landed a final kick to his back that ejected him from the combat arena. It was the coup de grace, and Magomedov called it quits.

"In Tokyo, South Korea did not get a gold medal, it was a bit frustrating and sad. Today I'm honored and proud. The whole team has worked hard to make sure we were prepared here," Park said.

Mobina Nematzadeh of Iran and Lena Stojkovic of Croatia won bronze medals in the women's tournament. The men's bronze medals went to Cyrian Ravet of France and Mohamed Khalil Jendoubi of Tunisia.

Taekwondo tournaments at the Olympics award two bronze medals, with the losing semifinalists facing two contestants who lost to the finalists in the elimination phase.

Ravet shines for France

Ravet came close to a massive upset in his quarterfinal against Park. Spurred on by the loud support of a partisan crowd holding massive cutouts of their favorite Olympian, he had a two-point lead in the deciding round with 33 seconds left. But the Frenchman could not hold on to his advantage as the South Korean delivered two straight body kicks to turn things around.

With Park reaching the final, Ravet was allowed to play in the repechage and made the most of it as he qualified for a bronze-medal match. He was then awarded a bronze without combatting due to Vito Dell'Aquila's withdrawal.

Dell'Aquila, the Tokyo champion, fought with an injury in Paris and was defeated 2-0 in the semifinals by Magomedov.

"My abductor was really in flames," he said. "I couldn't fight but for the Olympics I tried anyway. This was my dream."

Palestine's hopes vanish early

Omar Ismail wanted to inspire the Palestinian youth with a medal in taekwondo amid the Israel-Hamas war, which has claimed more than 39,000 Palestinian lives, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza.

But the teenager's campaign in Paris was brutally ended in the last 16 stage.

No Palestinian athlete has ever won an Olympic medal.

Ismail was the only Palestinian athlete to qualify for the Paris Games in his own right. The seven others gained their spots under a wild-card system delivered as part of the universality quota places.

Ismail was born in Dubai to parents who come from the West Bank town of Jenin.

- Associated Press 

ISRAELI DELEGATION FACES THREATS AND ABUSE AT PARIS OLYMPICS

 Latest Developments

French authorities opened an investigation into spectators who carried a banner declaring “Genocide Olympics,” chanted “Heil Hitler,” performed Nazi salutes, and otherwise tormented the Israeli team and its fans at the Paraguay-Israel soccer match on July 27. Stewards removed anti-Israel demonstrators from the stadium hosting the match as part of the Paris Olympics. At Israel’s previous match against Mali on July 24, a bomb scare prompted French police to cordon off areas near the venue. Separately, a false alarm at the airport prevented Israel’s president from deplaning for 40 minutes.

Expert Analysis

“Sports are supposed to bring people together to celebrate human achievement and the camaraderie of competition. Instead, anti-Israel protests have tarnished the sanctity of the Olympics by spreading hate and threatening the athletes.” — David May, FDD Research Manager and Senior Research Analyst

“The bitter irony of spectators waving a banner falsely accusing Israel of ‘genocide’ chanting Hitler’s name to emphasize their point shouldn’t be lost on anyone.”— Ben Cohen, FDD Senior Analyst and Rapid Response Manager

Israeli Delegation Faces Death Threats

On July 18 and 19, prior to the start of the games, 15 Israeli athletes and their teams received identical emails in Hebrew warning them they would be killed if they went to France. On July 25, Israel’s National Cyber Directorate concluded that Iranian hackers published the personal information of Israeli athletes and sent them threatening messages. On the same day, Israel’s foreign minister warned his French counterpart of an Iran-backed plot to target Israeli athletes and visitors. In response to the threats, France is escorting Israeli athletes to and from matches at the Olympics with elite tactical units and providing the Israelis with 24-hour protection.

Israeli Athletes Face Discrimination

Judo competitors from Morocco and Tajikistan refused to shake their Israeli opponent’s hand following their respective matches, contravening standard practice in the sport. Judo’s governing body is investigating a separate incident in which an Algerian failed to meet the weight requirement, allegedly intentionally so that he would not have to face his Israeli opponent on July 29. Additionally, Olympic officials denied an Iraqi request to “relocate or remove” an Israeli flag at a Lyon stadium that was next to an Iraqi flag.

Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee has not allowed Israelis to wear yellow ribbons, which represent the campaign to free hostages held in Gaza. This is in line with Olympic regulations forbidding athletes from making political statements. However, Waseem Abu Sal, one of the Palestinian delegation’s two flag-bearers wore a shirt depicting a warplane dropping missiles on children playing sports. Abu Sal described the political nature of the shirt, which “represents the current picture in Palestine,” while the president of the Palestine Olympic Committee said Olympic officials approved the shirt.

FIFA TO SEEK LEGAL ADVICE ON PALESTINIAN PROPOSAL TO SUSPEND ISRAEL FROM INTERNATIONAL SOCCER

 BANGKOK (AP) — Facing a Palestinian proposal to suspend Israel from international soccer because of the conflict with Hamas, FIFA bought time Friday by agreeing to seek legal advice before holding an extraordinary council meeting within two months.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino outlined the plan to 211 member federations after leaders of the Palestinian and Israel soccer bodies spoke at the governing body's annual congress in Bangkok.

“Now, due to the obvious sensitivity of these matters, FIFA will mandate as of now independent legal expertise to analyze and assess the three requests made by the Palestinian Football Association and ensure that the statutes and regulations of FIFA are applied in the correct way in order to ensure a fair and due process,” Infantino said.

"This legal assessment will have to allow for inputs and claims of both member associations. The results and the recommendations ... will be forwarded to the FIFA council.

“Due to the urgency of the situation, an extraordinary FIFA Council will be convened and will take place before July 20 to review the results of the legal assessment and to take the decisions that are appropriate.”

The Palestinian soccer federation has now spoken at a FIFA Congress at least five times since 2014 without making the progress it wants.

Palestinian soccer's issues with Israel in that decade have included travel restrictions on its players, the Israeli league including teams from West Bank settlements, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

In the past 10 years, FIFA under two different presidents has deferred a vote or decision, or created a working group to report back at a later meeting.

The Palestine Football Association proposal to 211 member federations called for “appropriate sanctions, with immediate effect, against Israeli teams" and was forecast in FIFA documents released last month.

The motion noted “international law violations committed by the Israeli occupation in Palestine, particularly in Gaza” and cited FIFA statutory commitments on human rights and against discrimination.

The Palestinian FA wrote that “all the football infrastructure in Gaza has been either destroyed, or seriously damaged, including the historic stadium of Al-Yarmuk.”

On Friday at the congress, Palestinian soccer's leader Jibril Rajoub said “the Palestinian people, including the Palestinian football family, are enduring an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.”

He said 193 footballers were among the thousands of Palestinians to die in the ongoing war which erupted Oct. 7 with Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel.

More than 35,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its figures. About 80% of Gaza’s population have been driven from their homes.

Rajoub, who said he had been threatened because of his sanctions proposal, urged FIFA delegates not to delay the vote.

“The Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs has made serious threats to imprison me if I do not withdraw this proposal, but no power in the world can stand in the way of truth,” Rajoub said.

But Infantino said the matter couldn't go to a full vote of the membership on Friday because it had to be dealt with by FIFA’s governing council.

“I do not want to divide our 211 member countries,” he said. “I have a responsibility as president to apply the statutes of FIFA and its regulations, whatever my personal conviction on these and other terrible matters around the world.”

He said at the FIFA council meeting on Wednesday, all 37 members unanimously agreed to condemn the acts of violence that have taken place and decided to send a strong message of solidarity.

“The FIFA Council also reiterated that football should not and should never become a hostage of politics and always remain ... a force of good uniting people rather than dividing,” Infantino said.

The meeting Friday included delegates from Russia, whose national and club teams have been suspended from international competitions since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The legal argument put by FIFA and UEFA was the refusal of other European teams to play Russians would cause chaos in competitions.

Israel has played in UEFA competitions as a member since 1994 and no European federation has refused to play its teams.

AUSTRALIA TO PLAY PALESTINIAN MEN'S SOCCER IN PERTH IN JUNE

 SYDNEY (AP) — Soccer Australia said Tuesday that the Socceroos will play the Palestinian men's soccer team in Perth, Western Australia on June 11 in a 2026 World Cup qualifying match.

Australia has a 2-0 record in Group I in the second round of Asian qualifying while the Palestinian team has a draw and a loss.

The loss was 1-0 to Australia when the Palestinian side was forced to play a “home” game in Kuwait in November due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. It was originally scheduled for the West Bank.

Players on the Australian team, before the start of the Kuwait match, donated a portion of their fees towards humanitarian causes in Gaza.

FROM HEAVYWEIGHT CLASH TO POTENTIAL UPSETS: LOOKING AHEAD TO THE ASIAN CUP ROUND OF 16

South Korea's surprise runners-up finish in Group E means they now face a daunting clash with fellow powerhouses Saudi Arabia in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup round of 16. Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

 In the blink of an eye, the 2023 AFC Asian Cup is now down to the knockout round.

Two weeks of riveting group-stage action has delivered a last 16 with plenty of usual suspects but also a handful of surprise high-fliers.

There will be no more second chances with teams needing to win four matches on the trot from now till Feb. 10 if they are to be crowned champions of Asia.

Here, we look ahead at the storylines each round of 16 tie has produced.

Australia vs. Indonesia (Jan. 28)

Appearing at the AFC Asian Cup for the first time since 2007, Indonesia were the final team to scrape through to the round of 16 but face a massive test in the form of Australia on Sunday. KARIM JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images

A real David vs. Goliath clash if there ever was one, with Australia placed 25th in the world while Indonesia are now the lowest-ranked team in the competition in 146th following the elimination of Hong Kong.

Making their first Asian Cup appearance since they co-hosted the tournament in 2007, Indonesia reaching the knockout round has been nothing short of a fairy tale -- but surely they could do the unthinkable?

They gave a decent account of themselves in defeats to Iraq and Japan with their sole victory thus far coming against regional rivals Vietnam, which means they are yet to cause a major upset.

This is far from the strongest outfit Australia have fielded at recent Asian Cups but they are still a formidable side that will be expected to negotiate their way past this test, even if the jury is still out on whether they have what it takes to go all the way and win a second crown.

FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BOLD AS PALESTINE MAKE HISTORY BY REACHING ASIAN CUP KNOCKOUT ROUND

Getty 

 Heading into Tuesday's Group C action at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, Palestine knew they had plenty to do -- and then hope for -- if they were to be certain of making history by advancing out of the group stage for the first time ever.

They needed to beat Hong Kong, hope for an Iran triumph over United Arab Emirates, and erase a five-goal deficit between them and the Emiratis in the process.

In the end, they came up just short in that aspect.

Yet, for all the endeavour and valour they displayed, they got their reward in the end.

With two goals from Oday Dabbagh and one from Zaid Qunbar, they held up their end of the bargain with a dominant 3-0 win over Hong Kong and it initially looked as though the original scenario was indeed somehow going to eventuate with Iran leading UAE by two goals.

But a 93rd-minute strike from Yahya Al-Ghassani meant the Iranians would only be able to pull off a 2-1 victory.

With UAE and Palestine level on four points and having played out a draw in their own meeting -- negating head-to-head record as a tie breaker -- the former would finish in second place ahead of the latter on goal difference by a solitary strike.

Originally, the Palestinians would have faced a nervous wait to find out if they would advance as one of the four best-performing third-placed teams.

Nonetheless, with Groups A and B already concluded, and with Syria and China both ranking lower in the third-place team standings, Palestine's progress was confirmed.

In the end, they had their own sense of adventure to thank given the way they constantly looked to score more and more against Hong Kong.

Just a win was not enough for them. They knew they had to give themselves as much of a chance and they duly did just that.

With Palestine and Syria both on four points -- and China out of the equation with just two -- it was the fact that the former had scored five goals ensured there would be at least two teams below them, with the Syrians boasting just one goal to their names.

It proved to be an evening of real drama as it seemed at times that fate just would not be on Palestine's side, while they also did ride their luck a fair bit.

 Iran twice had goals disallowed upon VAR review which would have given them a far healthier margin of victory than they had via a Mehdi Taremi double, and would have guaranteed the runners-up spot for the Palestinians.

Palestine did however look certain to concede against Hong Kong in injury-time of their own game, only for Everton Camargo to smash a penalty off the crossbar and inadvertently preserve a three-goal triumph for the West Asian outfit.

Ultimately, perhaps it was a case of fortune favouring the brave.

Having only made their Asian Cup debut in 2015, Palestine are now through to the knockout round for the first time in three attempts -- and they certainly did so because they gave it a real go.

Whatever they go on to achieve from here, the 2023 edition of the Asian Cup will always be one to remember for them.

- Gabriel Tan 

KAA GENT AND ISRAELI SIDE MACCABI HAIFA WILL MEET WITH NO FANS OVER FEARS GAZA-RELATED TROUBLE 😵‍💫

 

BRUSSELS (AP) — A soccer match between KAA Gent and Maccabi Haifa scheduled next month in Belgium should be played without fans because of fears of serious riots linked to the Israel-Hamas war, local authorities have ruled.

According to Belgian media reports, Ghent mayor Mathias De Clercq took the decision on the advice of local police.

Gent will host the Israeli club on Feb. 21 in the second leg of their Conference League playoff.

“Based on police information, serious problems are expected,” said Thomas Dierckens, a spokesperson for Mayor De Clercq, as quoted by Flemish newspaper Het Nieuwsblad.

“The KAA Gent Arena has no outer perimeter, which makes control difficult, and there is a good chance that public order in and around the stadium will be disrupted. This not only has consequences for the safety of fans and players, but also sporting consequences," he said. "If the match is stopped for more than half an hour due to disruption, UEFA will give KAA Gent a forfeit score of 0-5.”

TURKEY CHARGES ISRAELI SOCCER PLAYER WITH INSISTING HATRED FOR SHOWING SOLIDARITY WITH GAZA HOSTAGES

AP

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish authorities on Monday charged Israeli soccer player Sagiv Jehezkel with inciting hatred after he expressed solidarity with people held hostage by the Hamas militant organization during a top-flight league game. He was released from custody pending trial.

The Antalyaspor player had been detained for questioning late Sunday after he displayed a bandage on his wrist with the words “100 Days 7.10” — in reference to Oct. 7, the day Hamas attacked Israel and the hostages were abducted — next to a Star of David.

The 28-year-old Israeli international told police he was simply calling for an end to the war.

Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said late Sunday that Jehezkel was under investigation for “openly inciting the public to hatred and hostility.” Tunc maintained in a statement posted on X that Jehezkel had engaged in “an ugly gesture in support of the Israeli massacre in Gaza.”

The gesture was deemed to be provocative in Turkey where there is widespread public opposition to Israel’s military actions in Gaza and overwhelming support for the Palestinians.

Antalyaspor suspended Jehezkel from the team and announced that it was speaking to the club’s lawyers about the possibility of terminating his contract.

The player was expected to return to Israel later in the day on a private jet together with members of his family, private NTV television reported.

FA TO REVIEW LIGHTING AT WEMBLEY ARCH IN ISRAELI COLOURS AFTER CRITICISM

Reuters 

The Football Association (FA) said it would be reviewing whether to light Wembley's arch in blue and white in solidarity with Israel after receiving criticism for not doing so last week, CEO Mark Bullingham said on Thursday.

Wembley, the home of England's national football team, has previously lit up its iconic arch with the colours of Ukraine, Turkey and other countries in solidarity.

However, it did not do so for Israel following attacks by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Oct. 7 ahead of England games against Australia and Italy. The decision was criticised by the British government and by the Israel Football Association president Moshe Zuares.

Bullingham said the English governing body had immediately conveyed its horror at the attacks to the Israeli FA and had sought guidance from experts before deciding to wear black armbands and have a minute's silence at the games to mark the conflict.

ISRAELI-HAMAS WAR WONT AFFECT PARIS 2024 SECURITY PLANS - ESTANGUET

IOC Mumbai. Reuters 

The war between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas will not affect the security plans for next year's Olympic Games in France, the chief of the organising committee for the Paris 2024 Olympics said on Monday.

There have been protests in recent days with the country being home to Europe's largest Muslim and Jewish communities. France was put on its highest security alert on Friday after a teacher was killed in an Islamist attack.

French President Emmanuel Macron also deployed up to 7,000 soldiers for increased security patrols, as bomb alerts forced the evacuation of the Louvre museum. The Middle East conflict has often stoked domestic tensions in the past.

FIFA PRESIDENT INFANTINO OFFERS CONDOLENCES TO IN LETTER TO ISRAEL AND PALESTINE FA'S

Reuters 

FIFA president Gianni Infantino wrote to the Israel and Palestine Football Associations on Friday, offering his condolences over the "horrendous violence" in the past week in a conflict that has taken over 2,700 lives so far.

Hamas militants killed more than 1,300 Israelis in their attack on Saturday. In response, Israeli air strikes have killed more than 1,400 people in Gaza so far, authorities there said.