Muscat: Tunisia prevailed 2-1 over the Sultanate of Oman in the first match of the evening before heading to Al Bayt, the venue for the final of the tournament, where hosts Qatar reached the final four with a 5-0 success against the United Arab Emirates.
The Sultanate of Oman was largely on the back foot against Tunisia and managed just six efforts on goal to their opponents’ 16.
But of all the efforts from both sides, the underdogs produced the best of the bunch: a 30-yard rocket from Arshad al Alawi that hauled his team level in truly stunning fashion.
The celebrations that followed this certain goal of the tournament contender were to be shortlived, however. Just three more minutes had elapsed, in fact, before Tunisia’s lead was restored through Yousef Msakni’s close-range header, breaking hearts that had been sent soaring by Al Alawi’s moment of magic.
Tunisia didn’t merely dominate on the field; they were also on top in the stands, where their fans made up the bulk of the 21,329 Education City crowd. As the final minutes ticked down, with tension rising and Sultanate of Oman pushing for an equalizer, Mondher Kebaier decided to make full use of this numerical advantage. Having turned to all four sides of the ground, waving his arms frantically in a plea for backing, the Tunisia coach would have thrilled at the response that followed. The noise levels immediately lifted but there was the visual inspiration for his tiring players, too, as their supporters spent the entirety of stoppage time waving their phones, flashlights on, in an attractive, eye-catching show of support.
