Massive decline after the 2022 World Cup, for some reason they got an easy route in the 2023 Asian Cup + some momentum but overall they've been average at best
Saudi Arabia become our first guaranteed quarterfinalist. Comoros become our first officially eliminated side, although it's not looking too good for Oman, Qatar, and Tunisia... and at least one of the latter two will not make it.
Bahrein 1–5 Algeria* *Qualified to the WC +Still alive Belt to ass type of game for Algeria. Adil Boulbina and Redouane Berkane could be interesting guys for the next WC cycle, specially if they move to a league better than Qatar's.
Syria 0 Palestine 0 Qatar 0 Tunisia 3 Wow Qatar gets grouped hosting the Arab Cup. Absolutely horrific. I have no doubt they will be BY FAR the worst team at the upcoming World Cup. Lopetegui will likely get fired, but it will only be symbolic, because I cannot see anybody helping them.
Sure. But they aren't the hosts and they sent a very weakend squad. Still a disappointment as I would have expected them to advance regardless.
They only qualified because of one match, while playing terribly throughout the qualifiers against teams like Kyrgyzstan and North Korea. It’s honestly completely unfair how they made it to the World Cup.
Yup. It's complete BS how they were made in the last round. Truth be told, if Infantino was so adamant at giving Saudi Arabia and Qatar a round, they should've sent Qatar's group to play at Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia's at Qatar.
I'm honestly surprised the rest of the AFC weren't furious about how the hosting of the playoffs went, with AFC not disclosing where they playoff stage would be held. Then just announcing Qatar and Saudi would host and get the extra 2 days rest for the final match. Qatar finished behind UAE in qualifying and lost home and away but wind up seeded and hosting the playoff, while Iraq had a better record than Saudi Arabia and found themselves in a similar situation. Anyway, that's what you call a group turned on its head! Who would have expected that?! Didn't watch the full matches but had a look at the end and the Palestine v Syria match had some serious West Germany v Austria vibes there with both teams seemingly happy to play it out at the end. Anyone watch the whole match, how was it? Tunisia win but get eliminated with Qatar - that's the hosts and last time's finalists out meaningly the 2nd and 3rd placed teams from Arab Cup 2021 are now out. I noticed Tunisia got a red card in that match. Will that card carry over to a suspension in the World Cup given this is a "FIFA tournament" or not?
The Tunisian who got the red is like a 3rd or 4th choice striker, so its not really going to matter either way. It's 50/50 he'd even make the squad anyways.
Really? Seifeddine Jaziri won the golden boot at the last Arab Cup, played and scored in the last 2 AFCON tournaments, and played at the 2022 World cup, so not sure if he would be completely out. - Not sure if the red card would carry to AFCON as that's a CAF tournament, whereas this tournament is under FIFA, or if it will even carry over. Note: Don't think it will carry over, "Only pending red card suspensions from qualification will be carried forward to the final tournament" - 2025 Africa Cup of Nations - Wikipedia so basically it's only WC qualifying suspensions* that will carry over (* all players not named Cristiano Ronaldo of course )
*Morocco 1–0 Saudi Arabia* Oman 2–1 Comoros *Qualified to the WC +Still alive Morocco and the Saudi's go through and if the Saudis sent their best team here, I wouldn't be surprised if even Cape Verde beats them.