Palestine draw with Jordan in first match on home soil

AL-RAM (West Bank): Palestine and Jordan drew a friendly international 1-1 on Sunday in a match which marked the Palestinian national team’s first match on home soil.

Palestine have played all their matches abroad, mainly in the Gulf, because soccer’s world governing body FIFA deemed the Palestinian territories unsafe to host visiting teams.

Palestine took the lead in the fourth minute when Ahmed Kashkash broke through the Jor­danian defence, rounded advancing goalkeeper Loay Amayrah and slotted the ball home from the edge of the area.

Jordan equalised in the 48th minute when, with the Palestine defence in disarray, Raed Nawatir had an easy task to put the ball past goalkeeper Mohammed Shobeer.

The match was played on an artificial pitch at a new 6,500 seat stadium near Jerusalem which was packed with fans who came to celebrate the occasion.

Several hundred others stood and watched from the top of cars and from the nearby rooftops outside. €” Reuters