27 Oct 2008

First home game for Palestinian football team

3:44 pm on 27 October 2008

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 match.

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 fixture.

The game finished 1-1 and was attended by FIFA President Sepp Blatter and dignitaries from across the Arab world.

A large crowd, as well as thousands outside outside the ground, were in rapture at the scoring of the first Palestinian goal on home soil by Ahmed Kashkash from the Gaza Strip.