With each team having now played twice at the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021™, four nations have already booked their place in the knockout stage of the competition.
All eyes will now be on the concluding group fixtures, which will determine the remaining quarter-finalists. Here, we take to you through all the qualification permutations in the four groups in the competition. Who has already qualified? Qatar, Morocco, Algeria and Egypt. Who is out of the running? Both Lebanon and Sudan are out of contention following two defeats in Group D.
Qualification Permutations
Group A
Qatar have already won the group after two consecutive victories and the race for the section's second ticket is still open between the three other teams;
Iraq can finish second IF they defeat Qatar by any margin;
A win for either Bahrain or Oman will secure their passage from the group IF Iraq fail to beat Qatar.
Group B
UAE can win the group IF they draw with Tunisia and can still qualify IF they lose AND Syria lose OR draw to Mauritania ;
Tunisia will qualify IF they defeat UAE OR they draw AND Syria fail to defeat Mauritania ;
Syria will book their place in the quarter-finals with a win against Mauritania OR if they draw AND Tunisia lose against UAE.;
Mauritania can finish second IF they defeat Syria AND Tunisia lose against UAE (at which point goal difference would come into play). At the moment Tunisia's GD is +2 (5-3), Syria’s +1 (3-2) and Mauritania’s -5 (1-6).
Group C
Morocco already secured their qualification and IF they avoid defeat against Saudi Arabia, they will top the group;
Jordan will qualify with a win over Palestine OR if they draw AND Saudi Arabia fail to defeat Morocco;
Palestine can qualify IF they defeat Jordan AND Saudi Arabia fail to win against Morocco, OR Palestine win against Jordan AND Saudi Arabia defeat Morocco (at which point goal difference would come into play). At the moment Saudi Arabia's stands at -1 (1-2) and Palestine's -4 (1-5);
Saudi Arabia will qualify IF they defeat Morocco AND Jordan lose OR draw to Palestine.
Group D
Algeria and Egypt secured the two tickets from the section and their battle will be for top spot. The two sides share the same points, goal difference, goal scored and even fair play points. The victors will finish on top of the group, while a draw means that tie-breakers will be used to determine the group winners.
What are the tie-breakers at the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021™? Article 13.1 of the Regulations outlines what should happen should two teams or more finish level on points in more detail.
Who finishes above will be decided by comparing each of these criteria in order:
Goal difference in all group matches;
Goals scored in all group matches;
Greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned;
Superior goal difference in the group matches between the teams concerned;
Greatest number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned;
Fair play points ;
Drawing of lots