FOOTBALL – Saudi Arabia halted Palestine’s dream run, while Morocco took down surprising Syria to also reach the semi-finals of the Fifa Arab Cup yesterday.
Mohamed Kanno’s extra-time header powered Saudi Arabia past Palestine 2-1 and into the Arab Cup semi-finals.
The first half was controlled by Saudi Arabia, with Herve Renard’s men patiently poking and prodding their opponents, but the pegged-back Palestinians showed the same defensive solidity they possessed in the group stage when they recorded two clean sheets.
It wasn’t until the final stages of the first 45 minutes when the Lions of Canaan’s back line was pulled out of position, as a deep cross left them scrambling and only a last-gasp Hamed Hamdan clearance prevented Feras Al Brikan from scoring.
It took Saudi Arabia’s magic man, Salem Al Dawsari, to break things open, as a brilliant first touch from the No 10 forced a rash challenge out of Mohammed Saleh and a point to the spot.
Al Brikan then confidently stroked home the penalty to hand the Green Falcons the lead.
Palestine were unfazed and promptly answered through Oday Dabbagh, who showcased an exquisite first touch of his own to collect Hassan Altambakti’s cross and score.
A late penalty in favour of Saudi Arabia was overturned by VAR, sending the two sides to extra time.
Just when it looked like matters would have to be settled in penalties, Kanno struck for his late winner by thumping home a header off a cross from Al Dawsari to propel the Saudis to the final four.
Having progressed from the qualifiers all the way to the quarters, Syria’s fantastic run at the Arab Cup has come to an end as they fell 1-0 against Morocco in Al Rayyan.
It was a pair of substitutes that combined to conjure the late goal, with Walid Azaro tucking home after a Mounir Chouiar effort was parried to him six yards out from the Syrian goal.
A Syrian side that had to advance from the qualifiers to reach the tournament proper was looking to keep their impressive run going and just about matched a more fancied Moroccan outfit over the opening term.
The best of the limited chances saw an early effort from the Atlas Lions’ Amin Zahzouh tipped over the bar by Elias Hadaya before they suffered a blow as the influential Tarik Tissoudali was forced off.
The African giants came closest to breaking the deadlock shortly after the break as a save from Hadaya, a frantic Zakaria Hannan block and a scrambled clearance managed to quell a dangerous Moroccan attacking sequence.
The longer that things went on, the more that Moroccan started to control them as Oussama Tannane, Karim El Berkaoui and then Marwane Saddane all came close.
Eventually that rising pressure told as the excellent Hadaya parried a long-range strike from Mounir Chouiar was parried into the path of fellow substitute Walid Azaro who swept home to seal the late win.
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