The quarter-finals at the FIFA Arab Cup™ conclude with two heavyweight showdowns that feature a pair of nations – and possibly a third – that are also headed to next year’s FIFA World Cup™.
First-up, it’s a Jordan side that were peerless in the group stage, clashing with Iraq in an all-AFC showdown in Al Rayyan. Later in the evening, defending champions Algeria put their crown on the line as they face United Arab Emirates in Al Khor.
Jordan v Iraq
Kick-off times
17:30 in Al Rayyan
17:30 in Amman
17:30 in Baghdad
Jordan last five matches: W3 D1 L1
Iraq last five matches: W3 D1 L1
The match
Jordan were the only nation to win all three group encounters at the regional showpiece and they are looking to keep that run going against a nation that they faced twice in the third round of AFC preliminaries for the FIFA World Cup. Iraq will take heart from the fact that they drew with the Nashama in Basra in the first of those encounters and then rolled them 1-0 in Amman in June this year on the back of a goal from star winger Ali Jasim.
Players to watch
Jordan’s Saed Al Rosan has stood out with his physicality and control at the back of a watertight defence that has only conceded twice in their three outings. In addition to being sound positionally he has also shown the ability to help start attacking sequences, as well as scoring himself against Kuwait.
With an injury cloud over Mohanad Ali, Al Rosan may well be tasked with stopped the ageless striking threat of Iraq’s Aymen Hussein. The veteran forward is a deadly weapon inside the penalty box, where he marries technique and physicality with precision finishing.
Suspended players
Hussein Ali (Iraq)
What they said….
“We can’t thank our fans enough. Their presence in Qatar has been remarkable. Their voices are always the loudest in the stadium, and that gives us the motivation and excitement to do our best, so we thank them for everything they do for us. The most important thing is winning the title for Jordan but I also hope to win the top scorer award if possible. There’s no reason why not.”
Ali Olwan, Jordan forward
Algeria v United Arab Emirates
Kick-off times
20:30 in Al Khor
18:30 in Algiers
21:30 in Abu Dhabi
Algeria last five matches: W4 D1 L0
United Arab Emirates last five matches: W1 D2 L2
The match
After a slow start, the defending champions Algeria have been rounding nicely into form and capped things with an impressive group sealing 2-0 win over Iraq. United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, needed a win on the final day of group play to secure progression and they got that in an eye-catching manner with a 3-1 win over Kuwait.
Players to watch
In amongst a host of attacking riches, Algeria’s superb defensive displays may be getting somewhat overlooked. Having conceded just once in their three group outings, the Fennecs are the stingiest side in Qatar to date. A huge part of that has been down to a string of fine displays from Achref Abada. The central defender can verge on the eccentric at points but his tackling is clean and his passing crisp.
If the United Arab Emirates are gearing up for a quarter-final, they owe it in no small part to attacking midfielder Yahya Al Ghassani. In their final group-stage outing, a 3-1 win over Kuwait, the 27-year-old produced a blistering double in the space of just 88 seconds, underlining both his powerful forward runs and his clinical touch. He found the net with a superb right-footed strike and later won – and coolly dispatched – a penalty thanks to his relentless movement inside the box.
Suspended players
None
What they said….
“We know that the UAE are a strong team, I am fully aware of the team, the players and the quality they have and this will be another tough test for us. Of course we will respect them and approach things with humility but we are playing to win and to make sure we get to the semi-finals.”
Yacine Brahimi, Algeria forward
“Things have been very tough for us recently, following our failure to qualify for the World Cup but our primary objective here [at the Arab Cup] is to perform well and reach the final.”
Nicolas Gimenez, United Arab Emirates midfielder
