Emirati Triumph: UAE Soars to Historic Arab Cup Semifinal Berth

The UAE national football team reached the Arab Cup semifinals for the first time in history after beating Algeria 7-6 on penalties Friday night. The quarter-final match ended 1-1 after regular and extra time, setting up a dramatic shootout that sent the Emiratis through to uncharted territory.

The UAE put in a mixed performance against Algeria. They looked ordinary in the first half, showing no real attacking threat and focusing mainly on defense to keep a clean sheet. Despite wide open spaces behind Algeria's backline, the UAE players couldn't take advantage. Their midfield preparation looked shaky, leading to lost possession and repeated mistakes that Algeria tried to exploit. The Algerians actually got the ball in the net several times but saw their goals ruled out for offside.

Everything changed in the second half when Algeria's Adel Boulbina scored after following up on Yacine Brahimi's shot that bounced off UAE keeper Hamad Al Maqbali. That goal became a turning point. The UAE dropped their defensive caution and started creating real attacking chances.

One UAE attempt almost brought the equalizer when Robin's cross was accidentally deflected toward Algeria's goal by defender Ashraf Abada. But Algeria keeper Farid Chaal stayed alert and kept it out.

The UAE finally converted their first real chance when Yahya Al Ghassani sent in a perfect cross that Bruno de Oliveira confidently put away in the 64th minute. The goal came from their first genuine attack on Algeria's goal.

After the equalizer, the UAE tried to stay solid while Algeria kept pushing for the winner. But UAE coach Olario Cosmin made a smart substitution, bringing in Issam Faiz for Yahya Nader. This move restored balance to midfield and made it harder for Algeria to reach Al Maqbali's goal until the 75th minute.

Boulbina nearly put Algeria back ahead in the 78th minute after a defensive mix-up between Sasha and Pimenta left him one-on-one with the keeper. But he shot over the crossbar. On the other end, Caio Lucas led a counter-attack, beating several players before Algeria's defense cleared the ball for a corner that came to nothing.

The UAE missed a golden chance to win it in regular time when Pimenta's powerful header in the 88th minute was brilliantly saved by Chaal.

Penalty controversy mars final moments

Jordanian referee Adham Makhadmeh sparked major controversy in stoppage time when he ignored what looked like a clear penalty for the UAE. Algeria's Ashraf Abada appeared to handle the ball inside his penalty area, stopping a promising UAE attack.

Former Bahraini international referee Nawaf Shukrallah confirmed on television that it should have been a penalty. He explained that the ball hit the Algerian defender's hand directly without touching any other part of his body first, which stopped the UAE's attack inside the box.

Shukrallah expressed surprise that the referee didn't use VAR to review the incident. He said there's no rule preventing decisive decisions in the final moments if the situation requires video technology intervention.

The penalty shootout that followed saw both teams convert their first six attempts before the UAE finally prevailed 7-6. This historic result puts them in their first-ever Arab Cup semifinal, marking a significant achievement for Emirati football.