Doha, December 9 (QNA) – The UAE national team secured their place in the quarter-finals of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 after defeating Kuwait 3-1 in their match on Tuesday evening at Stadium 974.

This was the third and final match of Group D in the tournament, currently being held in Doha with the participation of 16 teams.

Yahya Al Ghasani scored in the 16th and 18th minutes, and Nicolas Jimenez added another in the 66th minute for the UAE. Fahad Al Hajri scored Kuwait's lone goal in the 59th minute.

With this victory, the UAE team raised their points tally to 4, securing second place in the group behind Jordan, which leads with 9 points. Kuwait remains in fourth place with one point, one point behind Egypt, which finished third.

The match was of average quality, with the UAE holding the advantage throughout both halves. In the first half, the Emirati team controlled the game from the outset, earning a penalty kick which Yahya Al Ghasani expertly converted, placing it to the right of Kuwaiti goalkeeper Khaled Al Rashidi in the 16th minute.

After taking the lead, the UAE capitalized on Kuwait's low morale, quickly adding a second goal through a counter-attack down the left flank. The ball reached Yahya Al Ghasani, who was unmarked in front of goal, and he easily slotted it past the Kuwaiti goalkeeper in the 18th minute.

The level of play dropped after the UAE's second goal, with the ball largely confined to midfield and both teams making attacking attempts without creating any real danger for either goal.

Similar to the first half, the second half was also average, with the UAE maintaining their two-goal lead. However, as time passed, the number of physical challenges and tackles between the players increased, resulting in the expulsion of Kuwaiti player Sultan Al Enezi for an off-the-ball incident involving Yahya Al Ghasani in the 54th minute.

Despite being outnumbered, Kuwait managed to reduce the deficit from a set piece with a header from Fahad Al Hajri in the 59th minute. However, the UAE quickly responded with a third goal in the 66th minute through Nicolas Jimenez.

As time passed, play became concentrated in midfield, and the minutes ticked by quickly without any real threat to either goal, with only occasional attacking forays that were thwarted by the defenses and goalkeepers of both teams. (QNA)