Syria and Iran are at war both on the football field and off
Tehran/Beirut — War-torn Syria is on the verge of qualifying for the soccer world cup for the first time. The team standing in its way? Battlefield ally Iran, one of two nations whose support has enabled forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad to gain an upper hand in the country’s six-year conflict. Syria would be guaranteed at least a play-off place for the 2018 finals if they beat Iran in Tehran on Tuesday, and might qualify automatically as runners-up in their group depending on the result between South Korea and Uzbekistan. Syrian television has been broadcasting a song in praise of the national team each hour over images of goals it scored in earlier matches. Qualification would be a striking achievement for a squad that cannot play at home due to the war and whose members are vetted by the government. Associated Press reported that while the national team was made up of government-approved supporters, at least one player — striker Firas al-Khatib — was an opposition activis...
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