Qatar, Tunisia, UAE, and Oman have qualified for the quarter-finals of the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup.
Eight national teams have taken to the pitch to battle it out for a spot in the quarter-finals of the first-of-its-kind FIFA Arab Cup 2021 in Qatar.
A number of state-of-the-art World Cup stadiums hosted four games in one day, welcoming thousands of excited fans and giving the world a sneak peek of Qatar’s readiness to host the FIFA 2022 World Cup in less than a year.
The fifth day of the 19-day tournament has concluded with spectacular matches between Qatar and Iraq, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Bahrain, and Syria and Mauritania.
Here’s a recap of all the matches:
Qatar vs Iraq
The host country’s national team flaunted its talent with three goals against Iraq on Monday, closing the round with nine points and qualifying for the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, the previous four-time Arab Cup champion Iraq was eliminated with only two points in the bag on its last day of the Arab Cup Group Stage at Al Bayt Stadium.
The match kept all fans on their toes as both teams consistently battled to net a goal throughout the match. But just as everyone lost hope, Al Annabi surprised all watchers with three phenomenal goals in the last final twelve minutes of the game.
Almoez Ali, Akram Afif and Hassan Haydos – all three of which came on as last minute substitutes in the second half – made an immediate impact with a goal each.
While the Iraqis will now be heading home, Qatar will now face off with the Emiraties at the quarter-finals.
Tunisia vs UAE
Tunisia sealed its win against UAE at Al Thumama Stadium after scoring the lead and the only goal of the match in the first 10 minutes of the game.
The North African team’s win allowed it to qualify for the quarter-finals after hope was almost lost following a 2-0 defeat to Syria.
🇹🇳 Tunisia ✅
🇦🇪 UAE ✅📊 The final Group B standings after the Eagles of Carthage leapfrogged their fellow quarter-finalists in a dramatic finale 🍿 @FTF_OFFICIELLE | @UAEFA_AE | #FIFArabCup pic.twitter.com/Ye9Nn9LnIR
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 6, 2021
Both teams will now play in the quarter-finals next week after bagging a 6 point score in the Group knockouts.
UAE will play rivals Qatar in one of the most-awaited and most competitive games in the tournament, while Tunisia will compete against Oman next Friday.
Oman vs Bahrain
Oman’s spectacular victory against Bahrain on Monday gave the Gulf nation a reserved place in the next FIFA Arab Cup 2021 quarter-finals against North Africa’s Tunisia.
The 3-0 win at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium pushed Oman to second place in the Group A knockouts after Qatar with 4 points.
💪 An emphatic victory sees Oman book a quarter-final place ✅
🧳 Bahrain will be packing their bags and heading home 🛫@OmanFA | @BahrainFA | #FIFArabCup pic.twitter.com/ui8z0XyHiY— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 6, 2021
Syria vs Mauritania
After a disappointing run in Group B, Mauritania made an impressive surprise comeback in its match against Syria.
However, despite the 2-1 win, both teams failed to qualify for the quarter-finals and now have to pack their bags.
All you need to know about the first FIFA Arab Cup
The much-awaited 19-day tournament will witness 16 teams fighting to take home the gleaming FIFA Arab Cup trophy for the first time – marking a historic moment for all involved in the event.
There was a total of four groups competing in the first round, each consisting of four teams.
Group A: Qatar, Iraq, Oman, Bahrain
Group B: Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Syria, Mauritania
Group C: Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine
Group D: Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Sudan
Each team played three group matches with the top two sides from each group. The first two winners have qualified for the quarter-finals, which will take place on 10-11 December.
The four winners will then meet in the semi-finals, and those with the highest number of points will battle it out in the final match on 18 December.
The matches will take place in six World Cup stadiums across the country, including Al Bayt, Al Thumama, Ahmad Bin Ali, Education City stadium, 974, and Al Janoub.
The FIFA Arab Cup 2021, the first edition of its kind, is set to offer a glimpse of what to expect a year later at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Fans from around the world now have the opportunity to experience Qatar’s ultra-modern sports facilities ahead of the World Cup next year, from state-of-the-art stadiums to free and eco-friendly transportation and fan activities.
The tournament is also seen as a golden opportunity to test preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2022, which will take place in a similar time slot next year.
In total, 32 matches will take place during the tournament.
Tickets for all matches are available here.