Palestine stun hosts Qatar with dramatic late own goal in FIFA Arab Cup opener

Palestine recorded its first Arab Cup victory in 59 years on Monday in front of a partisan crowd of 61,475 at the Al Bayt Stadium. The last time Palestinians celebrated a victory in the Arab Cup was in 1966 when they beat North Yemen 6-0.

The two-time Asian champions dominated possession and created numerous chances but were left stunned when Al Brake inadvertently turned a cross from Palestine substitute Ahmad Alqaq into his own net, sealing a famous win for the resilient Palestinian visitors.

Qatar, under new head coach Julen Lopetegui, controlled much of the contest but struggled to break down a disciplined and stubborn Palestinian defense.

The Qataris pressed relentlessly, yet were repeatedly frustrated by goalkeeper Rami Hamada and a series of missed opportunities.

The hosts started brightly, with Ahmed Fathy firing an early warning that sailed just wide. Mohammad Al Mannai forced Hamada into a smart save from distance, while captain Akram Afif constantly threatened with clever movement and dribbles.

However, the first half ended goalless, disrupted by injuries that saw Qatar forced into an early substitution when Issa Laye replaced Assim Madibo.

Lopetegui introduced Edmilson Junior at the interval, injecting fresh energy into the attack.

The substitute nearly made an immediate impact, setting up Al Brake, whose close-range effort drifted wide.

Edmilson continued to trouble the Palestinian backline, testing Hamada from close range and delivering dangerous crosses.

Around the hour mark, Lopetegui made a double change, bringing on Mohammed Muntari and Khaled Ali Binsabaa.

Moments later, a VAR review denied Qatar a penalty after Afif went down under a challenge from Michael Termanini. Afif later embarked on a brilliant solo run but lost control at the crucial moment.

Palestine, who had offered little in attack for much of the match, grew into the game late on. Substitute Oday Dabbagh forced a sharp save on the counter, while Mohammed Muntari’s header from an Edmilson cross was brilliantly tipped over by Hamada.

As the clock ticked into added time, Palestine earned a corner and applied intense pressure.

In the dying seconds, Alqaq’s delivery caused chaos in the Qatar box, and Al Brake’s attempted clearance looped tragically past the helpless Mahmoud Abunada.

The result lifts Palestine level on three points with Syria, who earlier defeated 2019 runners-up Tunisia 1-0.

Qatar will look to bounce back against Syria on Thursday at Khalifa International Stadium, while Palestine faces Tunisia at Lusail Stadium on the same day.