FOOTBALL – The Fifa Arab Cup opened yesterday in spectacular fashion with Palestine defeating hosts Qatar with a stoppage-time winner in Al Khor. Sultan Al Brake’s stoppage-time own goal gave Palestine the shock victory.
Meanwhile, Syria stunned a Tunisian side that finished as runners-up four years ago in front of close to 30,000 fans in Al Rayyan.
A second half Omar Kharbin free-kick proved the difference for Jose Lana’s side.
The highly-expectant capacity crowd at Al Bayt Stadium had little to cheer about on the opening evening as Palestine held their own against Qatar, who failed to create any concrete chances throughout and were punished for their profligacy at the death.
After a tense opening half, Qatar had claims for a penalty when Michael Termanini brought down the dangerous Akram Afif in the Palestine area but the referee waved play on.
Moments later, Palestine substitute Oday Dabbagh struck just wide of the post as Qatar frustrations mounted.
Palestine thought they missed their chance to secure the three points in the 78th minute when substitute Ahmad Alqaq blazed over the bar from just six yards out with the goal at his mercy.
Soon afterwards, Palestine wing-back Wajdi Mohammed whipped in a dangerous left-wing cross which Zeid Qunbar agonisingly failed to make contact with.
But Palestine were rewarded for their attacking play in the 95th minute when a ball was headed on by Mohammed Saleh and Al Brake diverted it into his own net to leave the home fans stunned into silence.
Earlier, the Syrian Eagles achieve an important victory against the Carthage Eagles.
It might have been mid-afternoon on a working Monday when the tournament got underway but that didn’t stop a loud and colourful throng of supporters from turning up in huge numbers in Al Rayyan.
Most of the 27,000 strong crowd were there in the red and white of Tunisia and after a quiet first half that they just about edged, the Carthage Eagles were stunned just three minutes after the resumption.
With a free-kick awarded to Syria at the top of box, the side’s two most dangerous players on the evening, Omar Kharbin and Mohammad Al Salkhadi, stood over it.
It was the former who stepped up to sweep the ball around the Tunisian wall, kissing the post on its way past Aymen Dahmen.
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