. With Thursday niight game last week and bye coming up, th

NEA KAVALA, Greece -- Refugees in Greece have had a field day.Soccer players and fans from Syria and Iraq got a break from their stressful lives in migrant camps to play a match organized by Greeces state migration agency, launching a tournament that will include local amateur teams.The first game Friday was slow-paced, with white lines on the pitch unfinished. Spectators were seated on grass or on the terrace of a half-built home. There was dancing and drums at halftime, and children on the sidelines who shrieked at every turn of the game.After 90 minutes, the score was 1-1 for Hersos and Nea Kavala -- teams that took their names from refugee camps near Greeces northern border.Both players and fans appreciated the outing, describing it as a small first step toward a normal life for those who escaped war and were left stranded on their journey into Western Europe.This (helps us) forget the conditions inside the camp ... In the camp you are under pressure. The game helps us make a little bit (of) fun with our friends, Sherran Abdiy, a refugee from Aleppo, Syria and the goalkeeper for Nea Kavala team.The 21-year-old pharmacology students family home was destroyed in the civil war, and he traveled to Turkey and then Greece with his mother and 15-year-old brother. He hopes to make it to Switzerland and continue his studies.Now, however, he spends his days in a camp hastily set up by the Greek army and where authorities struggle to provide basic facilities.There are 60,000 people in Greece like him, halted on the trip to Europe after countries further north closed their borders in fear of being flooded with refugees. Most of the stranded have seen little of their host country, since the migrant camps are generally located outside Greek towns.European Union countries have been reluctant so far to meet their commitments to relocate refugees from fellow EU nations Greece and Italy, the two countries facing the brunt of the continents migration crisis.Fahed Al Haboun, a 22-year-old from Aleppo, turned up Friday to cheer for Hersos. His 5-month-old daughter was born in Greece.Im glad to see this happening, he said, speaking in broken English, standing at the side of the pitch still strewn with weeds. I dont have nothing to do (at the camp). I dont have to do anything, just waiting for my interview (for relocation) all the time.This week, the Greek government launched a program to integrate refugee children into the state school system, starting with 1,500 kids bused out of camps to 19 schools. The program is set to expand to 20,000 children.The reaction so far has been mixed. Greek parents at one school staged protests, voicing health concerns, while at another they gathered outside to applaud the refugees as they arrived.Giorgos Perperidis, the government coordinator at the refugee camps of Hersos and Nea Kavala, organized Fridays game, which included getting uniforms donated by topflight Greek soccer team PAOK: Light blue for Hersos, black-and-white stripes for Nea Kavala.People at the camps have to be given something to do, and they chose sport, he said. There will be more games with local clubs in the area and we already have the next match lined up.He said its not always easy to get things done, but we do what we can.Theres no rivalry here. Everyone was really excited about todays game. Its great to watch. These are good moments, he said.--Derek Gatopoulos and Theodora Tongas in Athens contributed. 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Oscar Klefbom Oilers Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. MINNESOTA (5-1) at CHICAGO (1-6)Monday, 8:30 p.m. EST, ESPNOPENING LINE -- Vikings by 5RECORD VS. SPREAD -- Minnesota 5-1, Chicago 1-6SERIES RECORD -- Minnesota leads 57-51-2LAST MEETING -- Vikings beat Bears 38-17, Dec. 20, 2015LAST WEEK -- Vikings lost to Philadelphia 21-10; Bears lost to Green Bay 26-10AP PRO32 RANKING -- Vikings No. 5, Bears No. 30VIKINGS OFFENSE -- OVERALL (31), RUSH (31), PASS (26).VIKINGS DEFENSE -- OVERALL (1), RUSH (3), PASS (4).BEARS OFFENSE -- OVERALL (16T), RUSH (25), PASS (11).BEARS DEFENSE -- OVERALL (12), RUSH (17), PASS (16).STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES -- Minnesota, one of four teams with one loss or less, was last to lose in NFL this season. ... Vikings tied for league lead with average of 14 points allowed, fewest through six games for this franchise since 1988. ... Vikings lead NFL in turnover margin (plus-11) and turnovers forced (16). ... Minnesota allowing 222 yards a game passing, 81.7 rushing. ... Without RB Adrian Peterson, Minnesota struggling to run ball, ahead of only Giants in NFL. ... Vikings trying to win consecutive road games against Bears for first time since 1999-2000. ... QB Sam Bradford was sacked six times, lost two of his four fumbles and threw interception against former team last week. ... With Thursday niight game last week and bye coming up, this is Chicagos lone game in 23-day span.dddddddddddd... Bears are averaging league-low 15.9 points. ... Chicago is one of four teams with one win or less. ... Bears are off to worst start since 2000 team dropped seven of first eight. ... With QB Brian Hoyer breaking left arm against Green Bay, Jay Cutler back after missing past five games because of sprained right thumb. Cutler is 8-5 in 13 career starts against Vikings, his most victories against any team, with 26 TD passes and 14 interceptions and average of 234.5 yards passing per game. Hes 6-1 at Soldier Field against Minnesota. ... RB Jordan Howard ranks second among NFL rookies with 352 yards rushing. ... Rookie LB Leonard Floyd coming off two-sack game against Green Bay, first multi-sack game of career. ... K Connor Barth is 9 of 12 on field goals. ... Fantasy Tip: Expect more from Bears WR Alshon Jeffery with Cutler more likely to go deep than Hoyer. Jeffery averaged 100.5 yards receiving with Cutler starting first two games. In five with Hoyer, he averaged 63.8.---AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '