Iraq beat Palestine 4 - 0 in the first game they were able to play at home after 6 long years of relentless strife.Iraq last played a home game on 22 July 2002, when they beat Syria 2-1 in Baghdad.In a symbolic celebration of this return of the game from exile,scores of white doves were released shortly before the kick off.Hope after all is the thing with feathers. The doves swirled around the stadium,unwilling to leave and finally heavily armed soldiers had to shoo them off the pitch.Parts of Iraq may now be safe enough to host a foreign team but the Palestinians' home is not. Like the Iraqi side until this game, their players have look for safer places than their homeland to play in.For those who wait for peace to return to a land long bereft of it moments like these bring hope.May there be more games - many,many more.
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