Lusail: The Moroccan national team qualified for the quarterfinals of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 after defeating Saudi Arabia 1-0 on Monday at Lusail International Stadium in the final match of Group B. Morocco secured first place in the quarterfinals, while Saudi Arabia qualified second.

According to Qatar News Agency, the only goal of the match was scored by striker Karim El Berkaoui in the 11th minute, securing the top spot in the group for his country. The Moroccan team played a more serious and faster-paced game, creating numerous scoring opportunities against the Saudi team. The Saudi coach fielded several players who hadn't featured in the previous two matches, making it difficult for the Saudi team to cope with the Moroccan players' high speed.

The Moroccan team adopted a fast-paced style of play to score early, achieving their goal after 11 minutes. They then sat back to maintain their lead with a balanced approach between defense and attack. In response, the Saudi national team tried to counter Morocco's early lead, relying on the speed of their players Nasser Al Dawsari and Abdullah Al Hamdan, supported by winger Ali Majrashi.

The team created several opportunities to score, but were unsuccessful, with Abdullah Al Hamdan missing a penalty kick 15 minutes before the end of the match. The Moroccan team maintained their dominance with a strong defensive performance, securing the three points and the top spot in the group with seven points from two wins and a draw. Meanwhile, the Saudi team suffered their first defeat of the tournament and remained in second place in the group with six points.

In the quarterfinals, Morocco will face Syria, the runner-up of Group A, while Saudi Arabia will play Palestine, the winner of Group A.