Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Morocco Reach Arab Cup Semifinals
Saudi Arabia advanced to the semifinals of the 2025 FIFA Arab Cup after defeating Palestine 2-1 in extra time during Thursday's quarterfinal at Lusail Stadium in Qatar, while Jordan secured its spot with a 1-0 victory over Iraq, and Morocco progressed by beating Syria 1-0. The matches highlighted the tournament's intensity as regional rivals vied for a place in the final stages of the competition hosted across various Qatari venues.
In the matchup between Saudi Arabia and Palestine, Firas Al-Buraikan opened the scoring for the Green Falcons with a penalty in the 58th minute, capitalizing on a foul inside the box after a run by Salem Al-Dawsari. Palestine equalized shortly after through Oday Dabbagh, who controlled a deep cross and fired a precise right-footed shot past the goalkeeper. The first half had been cautious, with Saudi Arabia dominating possession but managing only one shot on target, including a close call when Al-Buraikan was denied on the line from Al-Dawsari's cross. Palestine's defense held firm until extra time, when Mohamed Kanno headed home the winner in the 115th minute, ending Palestine's historic run to its first quarterfinal appearance. A late chance for...