Jordan and Iraq have become the latest teams to reach the FIFA Arab Cup™ quarter-finals after victories over Kuwait and Sudan respectively.
Defending champions Algeria laid down a marker of their title credentials in a 5-1 thrashing of Bahrain, in a match where Redouane Berkane had a hand in four of the five goals.
Elsewhere, Egypt struck late to secure a 1-1 draw with the United Arab Emirates that keeps both nations’ progression hopes intact.
Kuwait 1-3 Jordan
Jordan goals: Mohannad Abu Taha (17), Saed Al Rosan (49), Ali Olwan (90+7 pen)
Kuwait goal: Youssef Nasser (84)
Player of the Match: Ali Olwan (Jordan)
Jordan booked their place in the quarter-finals with a largely dominant display to defeat Kuwait in their Group C contest at a bouncing Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.
FIFA World Cup 2026™-bound Jordan caught Kuwait napping for the opening goal, tapping a free-kick from some 30 yards out to Mohannad Abu Taha, who unleashed a blistering drive beyond Sulaiman Abdulghafour with his defence still to organise their wall fully.
Abdulghafour was much the busier of the two goalkeepers, and he was beaten again early in the second half as Saed Al Rosan converted following the latest in a series of Jordan corners, with Mahmoud Mardi’s deliveries proving a challenge.
With time running out, substitute Yousef Nasser’s header from Eid Al Rashidi’s delicious cross set up a frantic grandstand finish, before Ali Olwan’s penalty deep into added time finally settled the contest after he had burst clear and been felled by the keeper.
Bahrain 1-5 Algeria
Bahrain goal: Mahdi Abduljabbar (27)
Algeria goals: Redouane Berkane (24, 48), Adil Boulbina (30, 80), Yassine Benzia (45+7 pen)
Player of the Match: Redouane Berkane (Algeria)
Qatar’s national team may be struggling at the Arab Cup, but the domestic Stars League has been providing plenty of talent in other teams that is absolutely flourishing. That’s certainly the case with the defending champions Algeria, with Qatar-based players having a hand in all five goals in their romp over Bahrain.
The Fennecs raced to a 3-1 lead at the interval after Al Wakrah’s Redouane Berkane scored the opener and then teed up Al Duhail’s Adil Boulbina for the second. That came shortly after Bahrain had swept home a leveller in a frenetic period that produced three goals in just six minutes.
Berkane was back at it again either side of the break, winning a penalty that Yassine Benzia dispatched in first half stoppage-time before grabbing his second shortly after the resumption.
Substitute Yacine Brahimi, another Qatar-based player, then teed up Boulbina up for his second and Algeria’s fifth. The comfortable win maintained an unbeaten start for an Algerian side that face Iraq in the section finale on 9 December.
Sudan 0-2 Iraq
Iraq goals: Mohanad Ali (81), Amjed Attwan (84)
Player of the Match: Mohanad Ali (Iraq)
Iraq progressed to the last eight of the tournament as they held out against sustained Sudan pressure early in the match before snatching victory with two goals in the closing stages.
After being on the back foot for much of the first half, Graham Arnold’s side edged their noses in front when Player of the Match Mohanad Ali seized on a poor defensive header from a free-kick to fire his side ahead.
The passionate Iraq fans inside Stadium 974 were on their feet once again moments later as Amjed Attwan made sure of the victory with six minutes left.
United Arab Emirates 1-1 Egypt
United Arab Emirates goal: Caio Lucas (60)
Egypt goal: Marwan Hamdy (85)
Player of the Match: Marwan Hamdy (Egypt)
After the torrent of goals earlier in the day, things were far tighter in Lusail as United Arab Emirates and Egypt played out a 1-1 draw to keep their progression hopes alive.
Cosmin Olaroiu’s UAE had the best chance of the opening term as Mohamed Bassam produced a fine save with an outstretched leg to deny Bruno from close range.
It would be the Emirates though that would break the deadlock on the hour as a flowing, length of the pitch, counter saw Nicolas Jimenez square for Caio Lucas who swept past Bassam.
Egypt would take a share of the spoils late on as Karim Eraky stood up an 85th-minute cross that Marwan Hamdy headed back across the face of goal.
The Pharaohs had the ball in the back of the net again late on but that effort was chalked off for an offside in the build-up as they stay second, a point clear of the Emirates and Kuwait.
