The FIFA Arab Cup: A perfect World Cup warm-up

Thousands of passionate fans watched Algeria lift the trophy at the thrilling climax of the FIFA Arab Cup in Doha. The African champions secured a 2-0 victory on a nail-biting evening against Tunisia in a tournament that acted as a World Cup test event for Qatari organisers.

With the two North African nations locked at 0-0 at the end of 90 minutes, they continued to battle it out during extra time. The deadlock was broken by an unexpected hero, Amir Sayoud, who had sat out four matches during the competition and came from the bench to curl a sensational strike past goalkeeper Mouez Hassen. Captain Yacine Brahimi later scored Algeria’s second to seal the deal.

The host nation, Qatar, put up quite a fight during the tournament and bowed out in third place after a penalty shoot-out victory over Egypt.

The FIFA Arab Cup saw 32 matches held over 19 days with 83 goals scored at a healthy average of 2.59 per game and included 16 international teams from Asia and Africa. FIFA President Gianni Infantino hopes the competition will play a key role in uniting the region, “It is proof of what football can do; bringing continents together, bringing people together, bringing countries together, bringing fans together, and bringing players together,” the President continued. “This joy, this emotion, which we have been feeling throughout this tournament - not only in Qatar but in the entire Arab World and all over the world.”

Qatar faced one of its biggest challenges as a nation as it gears up to host the 2022 World Cup, which will kick off at Al Bayt Stadium on November 21 and conclude with the final at Lusail Stadium on December 18.

It will be the first World Cup in the Middle East and also the most compact as fans will be able to attend