Palestine national football team has participated in their maiden AFC Asian Cup, the 2015 tournament, held in Australia. It was the first time Palestine qualified for the Asian Cup, and this performance has been accredited for the rise of Palestine in international arena, and the team is widely seen as the symbol of unity for Palestinians amidst the conflict between Hamas and Fatah over control of Palestinian Authority.[1] Their second appearance will come in 2019.
Palestine's maiden Asian Cup debut occurred in 2015 when they were grouped with Japan, Iraq and Jordan, and thus it has a significant effect for the Palestinian team. Their opening match, however, was a match against Asian champion Japan, and they lost 0–4. Palestine continued to suffer another loss, 1–5 to Jordan, which Jaka Ihbeisheh scored their first ever goal in the Asian Cup. Palestine ended their campaign by a 0–2 defeat to Iraq, thus ended last with zero point.
Palestine will make their second debut in the tournament, having drawn with two Levant rivals, Syria and Jordan, as well as for the second times against another defending champions, Australia.
1 Considered a successor team by FIFA, or have competed under other name(s). 2 Israel was a member of the AFC until 1974. 3 Recognized by FIFA as defunct.
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