Palestine and Syria Seal Arab Cup 2025 Berths: A Night of Pride and Penalties
25 November 2025
Palestine and Syria clinch Arab Cup 2025 berths
Palestine's head coach Ehab Abu Jazar savored the moment as his team took the field against Libya in the opening round of the Arab Cup 2025 qualifiers, lifting spirits in Gaza as the national anthem echoed before kickoff in Doha.
The Fadaa booked a fifth finals appearance after a goalless draw with Libya, winning 4-3 on penalties at Al-Gharafa Stadium in Al-Wakrah, just north of Doha.
Adi Debbagh, Hamed Hamdan, Mohammad Saleh, and Ameed Mahajneh scored for Palestine, while Libya’s scorers were Ali Yousif, Hussein Taqaq, and Ismail Sharadi. In the shootout, veteran Libyan goalkeeper Morad Al-Wahishi saved Milad Teramini's kick, while Palestinian goalkeeper Rami Hamada stopped two Libyan attempts to seal the win.
As a result, Palestine joined Tunisia and Syria in Group A, with Syria having earlier defeated South Sudan 2-0 through goals from Mohammad Al-Hillik and Mahmoud Al-Mawas.
“We play to deliver messages,” Abu Jazar said. “We play to bring joy to Gaza and all Palestinian provinces through football.”
The coach, whose mother lives in a Gaza tent, noted that Libya is a strong side and had shown quality in CAF and World Cup qualifiers, making the tie a tough one.
In the shootout drama, Libyan goalkeeper Morad Al-Wahishi denied Milad Teramini, but Hamada's heroics in goal preserved the win for Palestine.
In other Group A notes, Kuwait beat Mauritania 2-0 at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, and Syria saw off South Sudan 2-0, earning a place in the finals. The Arab Cup 2025 will be hosted by Qatar, running from December 1 to 18; seven more teams will qualify in the next two days to join 9 auto-qualified teams.
Palestine's victory and Syria's progress light up the tournament's outlook, with matches featuring Qatar as hosts and groups that include Tunisia and Kuwait.
“Qualifying for Palestine adds a different flavor to the Arab Cup,” Hamada said. “We hope our success can inspire Gaza.”
Punchline: If football is a language, these wins just added new dialects to the world cup of life.
Punchline: The ball traveled farther than some fans, and somehow found the net with a wink—proof that even a travel itinerary can end with a goal.
