Hosts Qatar secured third place at the Fifa Arab Cup on Saturday by defeating Egypt on penalties in Doha.
The Gulf side, beaten by Algeria in extra-time in Wednesday’s semi-final, prevailed 5-4 in the shoot-out at Stadium 974 after the match had finished goalless following 120-plus minutes.
Goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham proved the difference on his country’s National Day, first keeping Egypt at bay throughout the encounter before saving Mohamed Sherif's sudden-death spot-kick.
Hassan Al Haydos had earlier missed from the spot — he even had the chance to retake — before Barsham brilliantly repelled Ahmed Hegazy and Sherif. Qatar, the reigning Asian champions, celebrated wildly once the result was sealed. Algeria and Tunisia contest the final later on Saturday.
“Happy National Day,” said Qatar manager Felix Sanchez immediately afterwards. “It was a very nice game, very long. At this stage of the competition it’s very difficult. But these players, they showed a commitment and they fight until the end and I think we all deserve it.
“We lost only one game in all the competition, in extra-time, [so] the minimum we deserve was to be No 3 in the tournament.”
After a prosaic first half, of which Egypt had the better control, Qatar should really have taken the lead on 47 minutes. Defender Boualem Khoukhi met Akram Afif’s free-kick at the back post and headed the ball across goal, only for Almoez Ali to somehow lift his effort over the crossbar. The Qatar striker, with three goals in the tournament already, was two yards out.
At the other end, Egypt midfielder Hamdy Fathy’s header forced a fine reaction save from Barsham, while Sherif was unable to turn home the rebound.
It took another expert stop from Barsham to prevent Egypt from snatching a winner in the closing stages of normal time. In this instance, Fathy had played in Sherif, but the Egypt striker saw his low shot saved.
Not long into extra-time, substitute Akram Tawfik stung Barsham’s palms with a dipping half-volley from range. Moments later, Barsham pulled off another brilliant low save, pushing away Mostafa Fathi’s rebound. Barsham would have breathed a sigh of relief: he had initially pushed Marwan Hamdy’s shot right into Fathi’s path.
In the shootout, Al Haydos missed the opening spot-kick, but the referee judged — correctly — that goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy had moved too far from his line when making the save. Reprieve granted, Al Haydos then blazed the retake wide.
However, Qatar pulled level soon after when Barsham saved superbly from Hegazy’s low shot to make the score 2-2 after three penalties apiece. In sudden death, Barsham stood tall once more, diving to his right to push away Sherif’s penalty and seal for his country the third spot.
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
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Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff
Friday's schedule in Madrid
Men's quarter-finals
Novak Djokivic (1) v Marin Cilic (9) from 2pm UAE time
Roger Federer (4) v Dominic Thiem (5) from 7pm
Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) v Alexander Zverev (3) from 9.30pm
Stan Wawrinka v Rafael Nadal (2) from 11.30pm
Women's semi-finals
Belinda Bencic v Simona Halep (3) from 4.30pm
Sloane Stephens (8) v Kiki Bertens (7) from 10pm
The%20US%20Congress%20explained
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The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
How Islam's view of posthumous transplant surgery changed
Transplants from the deceased have been carried out in hospitals across the globe for decades, but in some countries in the Middle East, including the UAE, the practise was banned until relatively recently.
Opinion has been divided as to whether organ donations from a deceased person is permissible in Islam.
The body is viewed as sacred, during and after death, thus prohibiting cremation and tattoos.
One school of thought viewed the removal of organs after death as equally impermissible.
That view has largely changed, and among scholars and indeed many in society, to be seen as permissible to save another life.
Married Malala
Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Geneva from Dh2,845 return, including taxes. The flight takes 6 hours.
The package
Clinique La Prairie offers a variety of programmes. A six-night Master Detox costs from 14,900 Swiss francs (Dh57,655), including all food, accommodation and a set schedule of medical consultations and spa treatments.
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
High profile Al Shabab attacks
- 2010: A restaurant attack in Kampala Uganda kills 74 people watching a Fifa World Cup final football match.
- 2013: The Westgate shopping mall attack, 62 civilians, five Kenyan soldiers and four gunmen are killed.
- 2014: A series of bombings and shootings across Kenya sees scores of civilians killed.
- 2015: Four gunmen attack Garissa University College in northeastern Kenya and take over 700 students hostage, killing those who identified as Christian; 148 die and 79 more are injured.
- 2016: An attack on a Kenyan military base in El Adde Somalia kills 180 soldiers.
- 2017: A suicide truck bombing outside the Safari Hotel in Mogadishu kills 587 people and destroys several city blocks, making it the deadliest attack by the group and the worst in Somalia’s history.
Results:
Men's 100m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 15 sec; 2. Rheed McCracken (AUS) 15.40; 3. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 15.75. Men's 400m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 50.56; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 50.94; 3. Henry Manni (FIN) 52.24.
Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
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Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Third Test
Result: India won by 203 runs
Series: England lead five-match series 2-1
Brief scores:
Manchester United 4
Young 13', Mata 28', Lukaku 42', Rashford 82'
Fulham 1
Kamara 67' (pen),
Red card: Anguissa (68')
Man of the match: Juan Mata (Man Utd)