Palestine United wins 2016 International championship. Soccer team named in honor of Palestine wins 2016 international championship in U.S. Competition
A team of Arab teenagers who played soccer under the banner “Palestine United” won the 2016 KICS Cup International Soccer competition hosted here in Chicago.
Organized by Coaches Sami Mahdi, Ali Abuhellaleh and Samir Al-Beitoni, Palestine United competed against eight other teams representing Mexico, the United States, Ethiopia, and Guatemala.
A team also entered from Palestine called Palestine 1948 which merged with the local Palestine Team to form Palestine United explained coach Sami Mahdi.
“The kids merged together and formed a great soccer team in the competitions,” Mahdi said.
“The team is named in honor of Palestine and included players who are Arab from several Arab countries including Palestine, Morocco, Yemen and Jordan.”
The KICS Cup is a youth tournament allowing soccer teams from around the world to travel to Chicago and compete against one another.
International entries have included teams representing China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Italy and Mexico. Mahdi said that he expects Jordan to field a team next year.
Mahdi and coach Samir Al-Beitoni said Palestine United played five games between July 6 and July 10 in Chicago winning each to claim this year’s title in the age category of 14 thru 16 (U16).
All matches are played in accordance with FIFA game regulations and also regulations set by the Illinois Youth Soccer Association, Mahdi explained.
The KICS Community Soccer League was founded in 2006 and now serving over 1500 near south families with year round, volunteer based community soccer. Serving families from the South Loop, Chinatown, Pilsen, Bridgeport, West Loop, University Village, Bronzeville, Kenwood, Hyde Park and beyond.
Competitions have been co-sponsored by many organizations including Chicago’s Sister Cities organization.
The Palestine United team was co-sponsored also by Ziyad Brothers Importing.
“We’re very proud of the sports achievements of our team, Palestine United which included participants from several Arab country backgrounds,” said Ziyad Brothers Importing Executive Vice President and Principal Nemer Ziyad.
The winning team was honored at the Chicago Fire Soccer Game Sunday August 14 at Toyota Park stadium by State Senator and Bridgeview Mayor Steve Landek.
Here are the names of the winning players:
Abdallah Ahmad
Mousa Mousa
Jasim Al-Beitoni
Reyad Haleem
Mohammad Farraj
Zeead Abdelquy
Saleh Mohammad
Abraheem Mohamed
Kassim Alshariff
Younis Ahmed
Younes Omer
Sadiq Mohamed
Abdelqawi Alsalahi
Houssam Elalamy
Yazin Beitouni
Michael Salman
Andrees Aguilar
Hassan Omar
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
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