In the presence of Mr. Takashi Hattori, Deputy Representative of Japan for the State of Palestine, and a number of members of the Palestine Football Association, Itihad Khan Younis – in pink uniforms – won the title of ‘Tokyo 4’ youth soccer championship in Palestine.
Itihad secured the title following his win over its West Bank counterpart, Thaqafi Tulkarm – in a purple uniform.
The final match took place in the Khan Younis Stadium in the southern Gaza Strip.
Thaqafi was first to score through a goal by Muhammad Sabah in the first minute, before Ittihad responded with a triple through Muhammad Abu Daqqa, two goals, in the 79th and 90th minutes, respectively, and Kamal Al-Nadiyat in the fourth minute of extra time.
Itihad Khan Younis had won the title of Tokyo 4 championship in the Gaza Strip, while Thaqafi Tulkarm won the title in the occupied West Bank. This match was meant to determine the winner of the Palestine title.
“Sports remain one of the most unifying platforms that bring Palestinians together despite years of political factionalism and fragmentation, resulting from the Israeli occupation and apartheid,” Palestinian journalist and editor of The Palestine Chronicle, Ramzy Baroud said.
“Though there are numerous examples of how culture continues to bring Palestinians together, sports, football, in particular, is unparalleled in its effectiveness, as it involves tens of thousands of people, the massive fan base of these teams, whose slogans, flags, and chants continue to accentuate Palestinian unity between besieged Gaza and the occupied West Bank.”
(All Photos: Mahmoud Ajjour, The Palestine Chronicle)
