RIYADH: The 2021 FIFA Arab Cup is within reach for four nations as the tournament semi-finals play out on Wednesday with Egypt taking on Tunisia and hosts Qatar meeting Algeria. Here are five talking points ahead of the big clashes.
1. Saudi Arabia still involved
The young Green Falcons exited the tournament at the first stage but there is still interest for their fans with no less than nine players from the Saudi Professional League still involved – some more than others.
Saad Bguir has been having a good season for Abha and has been coming off the bench for Tunisia with Naim Sliti of Al-Ettifaq and playing in every game so far.
Algeria have more. Goalkeeper Moustapha Zeghba plays between the sticks for Damac and took part in the 2-0 win over Lebanon in the group stage. Club mate Hillal Soudani appeared in all three group games.
Al-Ettifaq have two representatives in the Fennecs’ line-up. Goalkeeper Rais M’Bolhi has been in great form and saved the penalty against Morocco that won the quarter-final shootout though defender Ayoub Abdellaoui has yet to come off the bench. There is also Amir Sayoud of Al-Tai and Al-Fateh’s Sofiane Bendebka.
And then there is Ahmed Hegazi. One of the best defenders in the Arab world, the Egyptian center-back went off injured in the first half of the final group game with Algeria. If the former English Premier League star recovers, his name will be the first on the team sheet, but Al-Ittihad fans will just be hoping he returns to Jeddah fit.
2. Egypt not all about Salah
When you have a player like Mohamed Salah in the form he has been in for the past few years at Liverpool, it is no surprise that he hogs the headlines. There is talent spread throughout the team however and one benefit about the European stars being absent is that the spotlight is allowed to shine elsewhere.
It does not often reach as far back as the goalkeeper partly because the attacking talent is there and partly because the defense is solid – only once in the last 27 games have the Pharaohs conceded more than a single goal. Against Jordan in the quarterfinals, that record was preserved partly thanks to goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy.
The Al-Ahly No. 1 has had plenty of success with his club, winning the Egyptian league five times and the African Champions League twice but he has yet to lift silverware in his national colors. If he can stay as sharp against Tunisia, a team that has looked good going forward, as against Jordan then that may be about to change.
3. Qatar looking good as Asian and African champions meet
Four games played for Qatar and four games won. The most recent was the 5-0 thrashing of the UAE in which the Asian champions were clinical and then some. What was even better was that all five were scored in the first half. It was a fantastic, fluid performance from the Maroons and they just blew their West Asian rivals away.
The game was won by the break which enabled Qatar to take their collective feet off the pedal. Their next opponents Algeria meanwhile played a day later and had an epic tussle with Morocco that went to extra-time then penalties. So, Qatar have had an extra day’s rest and a much easier game.
Not only that, but there was also a national attendance record of 63,439 for the game with the UAE. There was an excellent atmosphere, and those home fans have the chance to make a difference once again.
This is also a meeting between the reigning champions of Asia and Africa but with Algeria missing their European stars and Qatar at full strength, on home soil and with fresher legs, the 2022 World Cup hosts will be looking to get to the final.
4. Belmadi’s chance for revenge against Qatar with Algeria
For Algeria coach Djamel Belmadi, the semi-final with the host nation is a great chance to make a point. The former Algerian international was in charge of Qatar from 2014 to 2015 when he was fired after a very disappointing AFC Asian Cup campaign.
The ex-Marseille, Manchester City, and Southampton midfielder then returned to the Qatar Stars League and led Al-Duhail to two league titles, to take his Qatari championship tally to four. But domestic titles are one thing, if Belmadi can dump Qatar out of this tournament at the semi-final stage, always said to be the worst time to be eliminated, it would be a massive feather in his cap.
He said any feelings about his dismissal were very much in the past but as a coach he is an intense, almost brooding character and it is very possible that events of 2015 still rankle.
Playing Qatar, who have won all four of their games so far, will not faze Algeria. Heading into the quarterfinals, Morocco were the form team in the tournament but lost to their North African rivals.
5. Tunisia need to defeat history as well as Egypt
The Carthage Eagles have never appeared in a final since 1963 when they won the Arab Cup and there is no doubt that 58 years is too long. It will be a fiercely contested clash in front of a big and noisy crowd and whichever team settles first may end up going to the final.
Historically, Tunisia have had the better of these meetings, but Egypt have won five of the last seven.
Tunisia’s aerial threat could be crucial. Both goals against Oman came from headers with the first nodded in by Seifeddine Jaziri. The tournament top scorer now has four goals: One with his left, one with his right, one with a backheel, and now one with his head.
The Zamalek forward knows a thing or two about playing against Egyptian defenders and could make the difference. If Egypt’s star center-back Ahmed Hegazi is fit, then it should be a huge battle. If he is not, then Jaziri will be rubbing his hands and be looking forward to adding to his tally.