Rapid Reaction: Palestine 2:2 Tunisia (2025 FIFA Arab Cup)
Palestine overhaul a two goal deficit to earn an important point in their quest to advance to the quarterfinals.
Palestine Starting XI: Rami Hamadi; Musab Al-Battat, Michel Termanini, Mohammed Saleh, Wajdi Nabhan (Ahmed Taha 67’), Ameed Sawafta (Ahmad Al-Qaq 46’), Amid Mahajna (Odai Kharoub 74’), Hamed Hemdan (Moustafa Zeidan 84’), Emilio Saba (Oday Dabbagh 46’), Khaled Al-Nabris, Zaid Qunbar .
Cautions: Ameed Sawafta 22’
Goals: Hamed Hemdan 61’, Zaid Qunbar 85’
Recap: Coming into this match it was clear that Tunisia needed to win to reassert their status as favorites to advance from the group. In spite of their deserved and dramatic victory against Qatar, very few gave Palestine much of a chance to get something from the game.
The first ten minutes were a clear signal that the narrative was, once again, going to be left by the wayside. Both teams produced tame shots on goal in the first ten minutes. Palestine through Mohammed Saleh following a free kick routine in the 7th minute and Tunisia following a corner kick three minutes later.
That corner would be a harbinger of bad things to come as Tunisia won a corner five minutes later on Palestine’s right flank and opened the scoring. Rami Hamadi’s double save denied Firas Chaouat and Ferjani Saddi but was not enough to keep the 2021 finalists at bay as Amor Layouni bundled home.
In spite of the setback, Palestine started to take the game to Tunisia and had a great opportunity to level the score in the 38th minute when Hamed Hemdan’s cross teed up Mohammed Saleh inside the box. Aymen Dahmen did just enough to clear the low cross to safety before Saleh could make any proper contact with the ball.
With the first half coming to a close the sense was that Tunisia had the lead but was far from in control.
Looking to push the issue, Abu Jazar brought on Ahmad Al-Qaq and Oday Dabbagh in place of Emilio Saba and Ameed Sawafta. Whatever Abu Jazar had planned quickly blew up in his face. In the 51st minute, Michel Termanini, usually calm in possession chose to hold on to the ball instead of passing back to Rami Hamadi. Bedlam ensued in seconds as Termanini ended up on the ground and Hamadi was stranded in no man’s land as Mohammed Ali Ben Romdhane’s pass found a wide open Firas Chaouat to double the Tunisian lead.
Palestine’s lifeline would come via a set piece ten minutes later. A corner kick delivered by Ahmad Al-Qaq found Oday Dabbagh at the far post and his header back into the mixer was met by Amid Mahajna. Yasine Meriah’s clearance was thought to have quelled the danger but an onrushing Hamed Hemdan had other ideas and he scored a thunderbolt of a debut goal on his 7th appearance with the national team.
Nerves would get the better of Tunisia after the goal and Ehab Abu Jazar would go to his bench for reinforcements. Ahmed Taha replaced Wajdi Nabhan to solidfy the backline as Amid Mahajna and Hamed Hemdan were taken off for Odai Kharoub and Moustafa Zeidan.
The last substitute proved to be a stroke of genius as it was Zeidan who seconds after his introduction would tee up Qunbar for the equalizer. Mohammed Saleh’s free kick cannoned off the wall but the rebound found Musab Al-Battat who delivered a cross to the six yard box for the head of Saleh. Dahmen’s clearance made it to the top of the box but a streaking Zeidan latched on to the ball and quickly pushed it to Qunbar who slotted home to send the Lusail Stadium into absolute bedlam.
Unfortunately for Palestine, there was still five minutes to play plus six minutes of time added on. With nothing to lose, Tunisia threw everything at Palestine in hopes of restoring their lead. Ismael Gharbi nearly did that but was denied by Rami Hamadi who was immedieately mobbed by his teammates.
Palestine did just enough over the ensuing minutes of injury time to ensure a valuable point and top spot in Group A.
What I Liked: The confidence to go for it at halftime and to keep at it even after the blunder that gifted Tunisia the second goal. Rescuing a 2-0 deficit is never easy and it’s even more difficult when your opponent has the experience and quality of the Carthage Eagles.
What I didn’t Like: Palestine could have gotten even more from this game. Tunisia did very little to trouble Palestine in open play and took advantage of a set piece and a gift from Termanini to race to a two goal lead.
Man of the Match: Officially, it was given to Zaid Qunbar but I would give to Hamed Hemdan who covered every blade of grass and scored a wonderful goal to start the comeback.
Elsewhere in Group A: Syria scored a late goal via Omar Khrbin to draw 1-1 with Qatar. The draw means Palestine are in first place of Group A courtesy of a better goals scored record.
Qualification Scenarios: Palestine and Syria need just a draw to go through. Should their match produce a winner then the focus of the losing team will shift to the Qatar vs. Tunisia game in the hopes that it ends in a draw.
What’s Next: Palestine face Syria on Sunday, December 7th at the Education City Stadium. Kickoff is set for 19:00 Jerusalem time.