Risk vs Reality: UAE Elbowed Out by Morocco in Arab Cup Semifinal

Match overview

In Doha at the Khalifa International Stadium, the United Arab Emirates were defeated 0-3 by Morocco in the Arab Cup semifinal. The UAE conceded a goal early, then pressed for a comeback in the second half, controlled possession for stretches, and created several chances that went unconverted before Morocco extended the lead late in the match.

Coach Cosmin Olăroiu spoke after the game about the sequence of events: a goal in the first half set the tone, there were attempts to rebound in the second half, and despite dominance on the ball, decisive finishing eluded them. The result left the coach reflecting on risk-taking in the dying minutes and the subsequent goals that ended their hopes of a final berth.

Yahya Al-Ghassani, UAE midfielder, acknowledged the difficulty of the semifinal, noting the fatigue from a 120‑minute quarterfinal and penalties against Algeria, which left them with one less rest day than Morocco. He added that there were no excuses and that the team had opportunities they should have capitalized on, aiming to reach the final and now preparing for the third-place match.

The match saw Karim Berkaoui, Ashraf Mahdioui, and Abdel Razak Hamdallah score for Morocco in the 28th, 83rd, and 90+2 minutes respectively, earning a comfortable victory at Khalifa Stadium. Morocco earned their place in the final, awaiting the winner of Saudi Arabia vs Jordan for the title.

Morocco will face the winner of the Saudi Arabia–Jordan tie in the final, while the UAE will play the losing semi-finalist for third place. The game was part of the December 15, 2025 schedule in Doha, with both teams pushing hard to end their Arab Cup campaigns on a high note.

Punchline 1: If ever there was a textbook on how to miss a chance by inches, UAE handed it in as a souvenir. Punchline 2: Moroccans score three goals; UAE score three good attempts—just not on target enough to win the match.