Gulf Cup 25: Qatar qualify for semifinals

Basra, Iraq: Tameem Mansour netted an 88th-minute equaliser as Qatar qualified for the semifinals of the 25th Arab Gulf Cup, following a 1-1 draw with the UAE in their final Group B game at Al Minaa Olympic Stadium in Basra.

The spot in the last four of the competition was only guaranteed at full time, with the result depending on the other group game between Bahrain and Kuwait which took place at the same time. That clash ended in a 1-1 stalemate as well, which meant that Bahrain went through as group winners, while Qatar progressed as runners-up.

Defending champions Bahrain will play two-time winners Oman in the semifinals, while Qatar will play hosts Iraq in a high-voltage clash.

It was a dramatic night of football on Friday, and Qatar looked like they were going out toward the end of the game. The UAE, who had a slim mathematical chance of qualification as well, went ahead through Fabio Lima in the 77th minute, after Caio Canedo wasted a penalty earlier. As things stood at that point, Kuwait would finish ahead of Qatar.

However, young substitute Tameem followed in the footsteps of his legendary father Mansour Muftah, and scored with a first-time finish in the 88th minute, to meet a teasing ball whipped into the box from Homam Al-Amin. With no more goals in either game, that strike proved to be decisive.

It was a special moment indeed for Tameem, whose father also scored the lone goal for Qatar against the UAE, the last time Iraq hosted the competition, way back in 1979.