Qatar defeats UAE and qualifies for the semi-finals

The Qatari team qualified in the semi-finals of Gulf Cup 24, beating UAE 4-2 in the match which gathered them at Khalifa International Stadium.

From the first few minutes, the Qatari national team took the lead and threatened the UAE goal, resulting in a chance in the 5th minute. Abdul Karim Hassan almost hunted the UAE goalkeeper but his shot hit the left bar of the goal.

The UAE response was only a minute late after striker Ali Mabkhout prepared a ball for Tariq Al Hammadi, but the latter shot went away which was followed by Bandar Al Ahbabi’s shot from a free kick that also went the same way.

In the next few minutes, the Qatari side became more intense and the players missed several chances, most notably at the 18th minute when UAE goalkeeper Mohammed Al Shamsi prevented striker Al Moez Ali from scoring the lead shot after a shot through Akram Afif’s pass.

At the 20th minute, Akram Afif scored the first Qatar’s goal placed in the UAE net, then returned to score another at the 28th minute from a penalty shot.

The UAE pulled back at the 33rd minute from a penalty after Qatar goalkeeper Saad Al Shayeb blocked Bandar Al Ahbabi’s shot by striker Ali Mabkhout.

Al-Moez Ali’s shot at the 35th minute almost went into the UAE’s net by mistake after hitting the UAE defender and went out of the crossbar, while Mohammed Al Shamsi blocked Abdul Karim Hassan’s free-kick.

In the second half and with a quick start two minutes later, the UAE crossbar prevented Qatar from an assured goal from Akram Afif before Hassan Al Haidoos deepened the score with a third goal at the 53rd minute after an incursion from Al Moez finally reaching the net.

With pressure from the UAE which lasted for several minutes with missed opportunities, most notably through the headers Mohammed Marzouk and Ali Mabkhout, the UAE reduced the score at the 77th minute after a corner kick finally created for Ali Mabkhout, who netted in the net.

Just a few seconds before the referee whistled, Jorge Bou Alam sealed the match’s goals with a fourth goal from Qatar.