Morocco booked their place in the FIFA Arab Cup final after beating the United Arab Emirates 3-0, while Jordan advanced with a surprise 1–0 victory over Saudi Arabia in the other semi-final. Both matches were played in Qatar.
Both matches were contested in Qatar, with the winners set to clash for the coveted title on Thursday. The results mean the Atlas Lions of Morocco will take on Jordan in the final, while the UAE and Saudi Arabia will meet in the third-place playoff, both teams looking to salvage some pride from the tournament.
Morocco Punish Profligate UAE
Two costly defensive lapses ended the UAE’s dream of reaching the FIFA Arab Cup final for the first time. Cosmin Olaroiu’s side went down 3–0 to a superior Moroccan outfit at the Khalifa International Stadium in a result that reflected Morocco's efficiency in front of goal.
The match began with early promise for the UAE, who successfully put Morocco under pressure from the start, dictating the tempo and maintaining a brief period of dominance. However, the African side, the only remaining team from the continent in the semi-finals, soon tightened their grip. Moroccan forwards Karim El Berkaoui and Anas Bach tested goalkeeper Hamad Al Meqbaali, the penalty hero from the quarter-final victory over defending champions Algeria, with long-range efforts, signaling their intent.
The opening goal arrived in the 28th minute. A perfectly weighted cross from the left found El Berkaoui, who showed exceptional athleticism and technique. Rising like a majestic phoenix in the right corner of the penalty box, he connected with a powerful header that sailed into the far side of the net, leaving the UAE’s defence helpless. It was a perfect display of the cohesiveness and clinical edge that Morocco maintained throughout the contest.
Despite conceding, the UAE fought hard to find a breakthrough. Their efforts, however, were undone by two swift goals towards the end of the second half, snuffing out their hopes completely. Morocco played the waiting game expertly, and a double substitution around the 80th minute, which saw Achraf El Mahdioui come on for Amine Zouhzouh and Abderrazzaq Hamdallah replace Oualid Azaro, had an immediate and decisive impact.
In the 83rd minute, a counter-attacking move from the right saw a ball slipped through the UAE defence, catching them wrong-footed. The ball was played diagonally to the newly-introduced El Mahdioui, who had all the time in the world to pick his corner and confidently slot the ball home for the second goal.
Down by two, the UAE were forced to push forward aggressively in search of two quick goals, leaving critical space open at the back. This strategy proved fatal nine minutes later. Morocco launched another swift counterattack that saw Mohamed Boulascout cut the ball back from the goal-line, teeing up substitute Hamdallah. The forward, who also assisted in the second goal, made no mistake. He slotted it immediately through a defender’s legs, past the diving Yahia Nader, and the outstretched legs of the helpless Al Meqbaali to complete the 3–0 rout.
The final statistics highlighted the difference between the two sides. While the UAE had a marginally higher 51% possession, they could only muster two shots on target from 12 attempts. Morocco, in stark contrast, demonstrated ruthless efficiency, registering seven shots on target from 10 attempts and finding the back of the net three times as Olaroiu’s ambitious attacking strategy fell apart.
Jordan Stun Saudi Arabia
In the other semi-final at the Al Bayt Stadium, Jordan secured a thrilling 1–0 victory over Saudi Arabia to book their unexpected place in the final.
The first half was a listless affair with neither side truly dominating. However, Jordan emerged with a renewed vigour after the break. Nizar Al Rashdan immediately forced a fine save from Saudi Arabia keeper Nawaf Al Aqidi a minute after the restart, with the keeper then staying alert to punch away Hadi Alhourani’s in-swinging corner.
The decisive moment came in the 66th minute when Saudi Arabia’s defence was caught napping. Mahmoud Mardi delivered a perfect cross into the box for Al Rashdan, who rose highest above his marker to power home his header past Al Aqidi, securing the 1–0 lead. The solitary goal was enough to seal a famous victory for Jordan, setting up a clash with Morocco for the title.
