Palestine’s historic journey at the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 came to an end after a 2-1 extra-time defeat to Saudi Arabia in the quarterfinals at Lusail Stadium.

The decisive moment came in the 115th minute, when Mohamed Kanno scored a stooping header to secure Saudi Arabia’s place in the semifinals.

Match Highlights

• Firas Al-Buraikan gave Saudi Arabia the lead in the 58th minute from the penalty spot after a foul on Salem Al-Dawsari.
• Palestine quickly equalized six minutes later, with Oday Dabbagh producing a brilliant strike to bring the score to 1-1.
• Extra time remained tense, with Palestine nearly forcing penalties, but Kanno’s late goal sealed the result for the Saudis.

In the first half, both teams struggled to create clear chances. Saudi Arabia had more of the ball and several off-target shots, while Palestine managed one shot on goal. A key moment came when Hamed Hamdan blocked Al-Buraikan’s tap-in, keeping the match level.

Palestine continued to push for a historic semifinal appearance, with Dabbagh producing a spectacular finish to equalize shortly after falling behind. Their efforts were valiant, but ultimately, Saudi Arabia’s extra-time goal ended the underdog story.

What This Means for Palestine

This quarterfinal appearance marks Palestine’s first time reaching the last eight at the FIFA Arab Cup. Earlier this year, the team also reached the AFC Asian Cup knockout stages for the first time, signaling a rise in their footballing achievements.

Despite the loss, the team earned praise for its performance against a strong Saudi squad, showcasing talent, determination, and resilience.

Upcoming Semifinals

Saudi Arabia will face either Jordan or Iraq in Monday’s semifinals, while 10-man Morocco secured a 1-0 win against Syria to advance. Morocco’s Walid Azaro scored the lone goal in the 79th minute, despite his side finishing with ten players after Mohamed Moufid was sent off in stoppage time.