A moment 59 years in the making — Palestine shock Qatar in Arab Cup openerFoot AfricaMon, December 1, 2025 at 8:05 PM UTC·1 min readLate own goal seals landmark victory for the Palestinians in Doha
A moment 59 years in the making — Palestine shock Qatar in Arab Cup opener
Palestine recorded their first Arab Cup victory in 59 year defeating host nation Qatar 1 - 0 on Monday in dramatic Group Stage opener.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe decisive moment came deep into added time when Qatari defender Sultan Al Brake inadvertently turned the ball into his own net in the 95 minute handing Palestine historic & emotional win.
The last time Palestine celebrated win in the Arab Cup dates back to 1966 when they beat North Yemen 6-0.
Despite Qatar controlling possession for long stretches, Palestine showed composure, discipline & resilience before striking at the death to shock the defending Asian champions.
What comes next
The tournament now moves toward crucial second round of fixtures on Thursday:
Palestine vs Tunisia
Qatar vs Syria
Palestine enter the next match full of belief while Qatar face immediate pressure after suffering defeat few expected.
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