Stubborn Palestine Hold Lebanon at Bay in World Cup Qualifier

FILED - 18 December 2022, Qatar, Lusail: The World Cup trophy stands on the pitch prior to the start of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 final soccer match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa
FILED - 18 December 2022, Qatar, Lusail: The World Cup trophy stands on the pitch prior to the start of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 final soccer match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa
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Stubborn Palestine Hold Lebanon at Bay in World Cup Qualifier

FILED - 18 December 2022, Qatar, Lusail: The World Cup trophy stands on the pitch prior to the start of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 final soccer match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa
FILED - 18 December 2022, Qatar, Lusail: The World Cup trophy stands on the pitch prior to the start of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 final soccer match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa

Palestine began their quest for a place at the 2026 World Cup with a goalless draw against Lebanon in their Group I World Cup qualifier in Sharjah on Thursday.

The match was played at Khalid Bin Mohammed Stadium in Sharjah because of a one-match stadium ban on ‘host’ Lebanon following unruly scenes in their qualifier against Syria in Beirut last year.

But with Palestine also displaced because of the current conflict with Israel in Gaza -- they play their first 'home' game against Australia in Kuwait next week -- the two sides stood for a minute’s silence before the game for the victims of the fighting, AFP reported.

More than 11,500 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its offensive in retaliation for the cross-border attacks by Hamas on October 7 in which 1,200 people were killed and about 240 others taken hostage.

It was the first meeting between the teams and saw a defensive Palestine largely on the back foot as the Lebanese created the best of the opportunities.

The first chance of the match came in the 12th minute, but Lebanon captain Hassan Maatouk shot just wide from a long-range attempt.

Atta Gaber had the best chance for Palestine in the first half with a header on the half-hour mark, while Mohammed Saleh and Oday Dabbagh came close to scoring in the second half.

Palestine goalkeeper, 32-year-old Rami Hamadeh, made several crucial saves including one in the 89th minute with his outstretched leg, which led to a pulled hamstrings and a difficult final few minutes.

The top two finishers in each of the nine groups advance to the third phase of qualifying. Asia will have at least eight spots in the expanded 48-team World Cup.



‘Flooding Rains’ Threaten to Dampen Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
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‘Flooding Rains’ Threaten to Dampen Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Paris, France - July 26, 2024. Spectators are seen behind the Eiffel Tower ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Reuters)

The Paris Olympics look likely to get off to a soggy start.

Meteo-France, the French weather service, is predicting “flooding rains” Friday evening when the opening ceremony is set to unroll along the Seine River. But the show is set to go on as planned, starting at 1:30 p.m. EDT/7:30 p.m. CEST and should last more than three hours.

Already in the late afternoon, skies were gray with intermittent drizzle. There was a silver lining, though, with temperatures expected to stay relatively warm throughout the evening.

Instead of a traditional march into a stadium, about 6,800 athletes will parade on more than 90 boats on the Seine River for 6 kilometers (3.7 miles). Though 10,700 athletes are expected to compete at these Olympics, hundreds of soccer players are based outside Paris, surfers are in Tahiti and many have yet to arrive for their events in the second week, organizers said Thursday.

Hundreds of thousands of people, including 320,000 paying and invited ticket-holders, are expected to line the Seine’s banks as athletes are paraded along the river on boats.