FIFA Arab Cup: Palestine Holds Top Spot After Tunisia Draw, Qatar Struggles vs Syria
- Publish date: since 17 hour Reading time: two min read
A dramatic night in Group A sees Palestine edge closer to knockouts, while hosts Qatar struggle to find form.
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Palestine kept their place at the summit of Group A with a thrilling 2-2 draw against Tunisia. After a strong start to the tournament that included a win over Qatar, Palestine showed resilience to fight back from 2-0 down.
Tunisia opened the scoring in the 16th minute through Ismael Gharbi’s corner, with Amor Layouni setting up the finish. They doubled their lead six minutes into the second half via Firas Chaouat, but Palestine refused to fold.
Hamed Hamdan volleyed in their first goal after the hour mark, and late heroics from Zaid Qunbar secured a dramatic equalizer, sending fans into celebration and keeping hopes alive for a first-ever Arab Cup knockout berth.
“We receive a lot of messages from everywhere, from all over the world, and it's really amazing for us,” said defender Yaser Hamed, reflecting the team’s gratitude and growing confidence.
Qatar’s Night to Forget
The mood was very different for hosts Qatar, who dropped to the bottom of Group A after a 2-2 draw with Syria. The hosts looked set to claim their first victory when Edmilson Junior seemed to give them the lead in the 77th minute, only for Omar Khribin to stun the crowd with a 90th-minute strike.
Syria had shown intent all game, including a blocked effort from Khribin in the first half and a critical defensive play against Qatar’s captain Abdulaziz Hatem. The late equalizer now leaves coach Julen Lopetegui under mounting pressure as the tournament heads into the knockout phase.
Coaches Reflect on the Drama
Palestine’s Ihad Abu Jazar praised his team’s focus and fighting spirit:
“The important thing is that we didn’t lose our focus. We fought until the very last minute… truly a special game.”
Meanwhile, Qatar must regroup quickly if they hope to advance in front of their home crowd.