The Moroccan A’ team concluded the group stage of the FIFA Arab Cup, Qatar 2025, with a 1-0 victory against their Saudi counterparts in a tactical duel between Tarik Sektioui and former Morocco coach Hervé Renard, who is currently the head coach of Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi team started well and nearly opened the scoring early with a header from Saleh Abu Al Shamat after a long pass from Murad Al-Hawsawi (6′), but his shot hit the crossbar. However, the response from the Atlas Lions was swift, managing to find the back of the net of Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi in the eleventh minute.Despite a promising Saudi start, where Saleh Abu Al Shamat hit the crossbar with a 6th-minute header from Murad Al-Hawsawi’s long bal, but the Atlas Lions were quick to reply, slotting the ball past Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi just five minutes later.
On an attack initiated by Walid El Karti, who first attempted to pass to Tarik Tissoudali, and although the Saudi defense anticipated the ball, Tissoudali and El Berkaoui quickly managed to recover it through intense pressing on the Saudi defenders. Tissoudali then surged down the right flank before providing an assist to Karim El Berkaoui, who sent the ball into the net with a single touch despite the numerical superiority of the Green defenders (1-0, 11′).
Tarik Sektioui’s men managed to maintain their lead despite attempts from Hervé Renard’s protégés, who lacked efficiency, especially in the absence of their star Salem Al-Dawsari. Their most notable opportunity was undoubtedly the missed penalty by Abdullah Al-Hamdan, whose shot went over the bar after attempting a Panenka. Meanwhile, the Moroccan team had chances to double the score through Karim El Berkaoui with a long-range shot (48′), then Tissoudali twice, first with a header (64′), then a shot inside the penalty area (77′), but both attempts lacked power and precision, not to mention the goalkeeper being in the right place to save both shots.
With this victory, Morocco finishes at the top of their group with 7 points, setting up a quarter-final match against Syria, scheduled for December 11 at Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, while their runner-up, Saudi Arabia, will face Palestine at Lusail Stadium. It is worth noting that Karim El Berkaoui was named Man of the Match.
