AFC Asian Cup: Palestine make point in Qatar, send warning to Hong Kong over formidable final group fixture
- Palestine head coach Makram Daboub eyes ‘historic match’ against Hong Kong next Tuesday
- Daboub’s team profited from own goal in UAE draw, after spurning penalty chance
Barring a huge shock when they meet Iran on Saturday, Hong Kong will have to beat Palestine to make the next stage of the Asian Cup after their Group C rivals produced a herculean performance to draw 1-1 with the United Arab Emirates.
Palestine, who had a man advantage for 51 minutes on Friday after a red card for UAE defender Khalifa Mubarak, were slick, courageous, and ambitious. They will be tremendously difficult opponents for Jorn Andersen’s team on Tuesday.
And on the evidence from a highly charged Al Janoub Stadium, Hong Kong will also have to overcome a crowd fervently in their opponents’ corner.
The partisan atmosphere even overcame UAE head coach Paulo Bento, who was sent off in time added on following a second yellow card for dissent. Impassioned chants of Free Palestine filled the air before kick-off, and continued through a pre-match moment of silence.
Palestine crossing the halfway line generated an ear-splitting din. UAE’S attacks were met with a chorus of boos from an overwhelming majority of the 41,986 crowd.
