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http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/98/2015_AFC_Asian_Cup_crest.png/190px-2015_AFC_Asian_Cup_crest.png

 

2015 AFC Asian Cup

 

People seemed to enjoy watching me implode four years ago, so here we go again.

 

<Groups>

 

Group A: Australia, South Korea, Oman, Kuwait

 

Group B: Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, China, North Korea

 

Group C: Iran, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain

 

Group D: Japan, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine

 

Will the Aussies host a good tournament and show FIFA they've made a terrible mistake?

 

How many coaches will the Saudis sack?

 

Will North Korea throw their game against China under suspicious circumstances?

 

Will Palestine score a goal?

 

Which drought ends first: South Korea winning the Asian Cup (55 years), or Newcastle winning anything (45 years)?

 

Tune in for these and other riveting storylines in the biggest international tournament of 2015 :yao:

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Didn't realise Palestine was recognised by FIFA

 

Problems relating to the Israel-Palestinian conflict[edit]

The Palestinian Football Federation faces problems in training and playing due to the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

 

Because of travel restrictions placed by Israel upon people in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the difficulty in obtaining an exit visa from Israel, many players in the team are drawn from the Palestinian diaspora, from as far away as Chile and the United States.[15] Recently, Israel's refusal to issue exit visas has resulted in players, or in some case the entire team, being unable to represent the country. In November 2006 (the last match of 2007 AFC Asian Cup qualification group stage is scheduled), all players based inside the West Bank and Gaza Strip were denied exit visas. The AFC cancelled the match since both teams had been eliminated from the competition by virtue of their previous results against China and Iraq.[16] A film, Goal Dreams, was made about the team attempting to overcome obstacles in the qualification for the 2006 World Cup, who were also featured on the BBC documentary series Frontline Football.

 

In October 2007, the second leg of a crucial 2010 World Cup qualifier between Palestine and Singapore was not played due to Palestine's inability to obtain exit visas. The AFC and FIFA decided not to reschedule the match despite protests from the PFA, and Singapore was awarded a 3–0 win in a walkover match.[17] In May 2008, the team was not allowed to travel to the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup. After a 2011 World Cup qualifier against Thailand, two starters, Mohammed Samara and Majed Abusidu, were refused entry to the West Bank and therefore could not travel back with the team from Thailand.[18]

 

Striker Ziyad Al-Kord was banned from traveling and had his house destroyed.[19] Tariq al Quto was killed by the Israel Defense Forces,[20] and during the Operation Cast Lead three Palestinian footballers, Ayman Alkurd, Shadi Sbakhe and Wajeh Moshtahe, were among the Palestinian casualties.[21]

 

Mahmoud Sarsak was administratively detained by Israel in July 2009 for being a member of Islamic Jihad; following a hunger strike and international pressure on his behalf from FIFA President Sepp Blatter, he was released in July 2012.[22] In 2012, Olympic Team goalkeeper Omar Abu Ruways was arrested by Israel for being a member of a terrorist cell.[23]

 

Samah Fares Muhamed Marava was arrested in April after returning with his team from training in Qatar. The Shin Bet accused Marava of exploiting his status as a Palestinian football player to act as a courier for Hamas. [24] Shin Bet released a statement in which it was contended that Marava admitted that, before he left for Qatar, he met a senior Hamas operative in Kalkilya, asked him to meet an operative from Hamas' military wing in Qatar and received money, a cellphone and written messages which he brough back to Hamas operatives in Kalkilya. [24]

 

Palestinian facilities, such as Palestine Stadium, have been damaged in military conflicts.[25]

 

The team's former goalkeeper Abu Rwayyis was arrested in connection with an attack on IDF soldiers in April 2012.[26]

 

These guys are insane

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I'm heading East for this. Ill be at the following games:

 

Australia v Kuwait (Melbourne)

Australia v Oman (Sydney)

Australia v South Korea (Brisbane) ... Bring it on oldtype :p

Jordan v Japan (Melbourne)

Australias Quater Final (Melbourne)

 

Cant fucking wait. Two weeks of getting pissed and watching an international football tournament.

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Guest TruToon94

Wait... If Palestine are recognized as a team and able to play in the Euro qualifiers... How on earth is Israel not playing in the same tournament? How are they even recognized as European?

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Guest TruToon94

Israel are European because if they qualified with the middle eastern teams there would be one or two logistical issues. FIFA/UEFA didn't just get confused and think Israel was in Europe.

 

I had assumed it was all political but what do you mean via logistical issues?

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Israel are European because if they qualified with the middle eastern teams there would be one or two logistical issues. FIFA/UEFA didn't just get confused and think Israel was in Europe.

 

I had assumed it was all political but what do you mean via logistical issues?

 

Lots of middle eastern countries won't issue visas to Israeli nationals.

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中国加油!

 

Haaven't follow for a while, why is Feng Xiaoting not included?  The defense line seems lack of classy players

 

Don't know, possibly something political as he's been in good form for GZ.

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