Reasons for Morocco's Victory over Jordan in the Arab Cup Final

Many reasons led Morocco to outperform Jordan in an exciting, competitive, and tactical final of the 2025 Arab Cup, which concluded yesterday in Qatar.

The final was perfect for football fans, whether Moroccan or Jordanian, and neutral spectators enjoyed it as it was like an open football buffet where everything was present without the fans having to ask for it:

The match was expected to be closed with a long period of probing between two teams coached by Moroccan coaches who graduated from the same football school. However, the world-class goal scored by Osama Tannane from before the midfield in the 4th minute changed the equations and shocked Jordan's coach Jamal Salami, and the shock lasted throughout the first half.

During this half, Tarik Sektioui dominated the performance and result, controlling the midfield thanks to Tannane, Amin Zahzouh, and Mohamed Harimat (the best player of the tournament), with offensive support from Karim El Berkawi and Walid Azaro.

Sektioui continued to steer the first half as he wished, while Salami appeared resigned amid the absence of the spirit, tactical discipline, and defensive commitment that the "Nashama" team is known for, ending the half with the "Atlas Lions" leading by a clean goal.

In the second half, it was as if the Jordanian team had transformed and another team took their place. Salami began to regain his tactical strength by bringing back Al-Fakhouri and Adham Al-Quraishi. Jordan returned showing spirit, strength, and desire to win, fiercely attacking Morocco and scoring two goals by Ali Alwan (the Arab Cup top scorer): the first three minutes into the second half and the second from a penalty in the 68th minute. All this left Sektioui stunned by the technical and tactical transformations presented by his compatriot, "brother and friend" Salami, who dominated the second half in performance, result, and tactics.

Since the coaches know each other and surrender is not in the vocabulary of the "two friends," Sektioui responded by bringing on the striking force he had on the bench, represented by the experienced and dangerous scorer Abderrazak Hamdallah after his team conceded the second goal.

In addition to Hamdallah, Sektioui brought on all his weapons, including Saber Bougrine and Munir Shweir, who added value and confirmed that the Moroccan coach's substitutions and their timing always change the course of the match.

As usual, Hamdallah did not disappoint Sektioui's trust in him. While celebrations and "Dabke" echoed in the Nashama stands, Hamdallah slipped behind Jordan's lines to exploit a rebound from the Jordanian goalkeeper and scored the equalizer just three minutes before the end of the match, causing shock among the coach, players, technical staff, and Jordanian fans. Despite attempts from both sides, including a dangerous shot and a one-on-one by Ali Alwan brilliantly saved by Moroccan goalkeeper Benabid, the Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg's whistle was the fastest to announce the end of regular time.

Three minutes after the start of the first extra half, Muhannad Abu Taha scored a fantastic goal that would have rivaled Tannane's goal, but the referee disallowed it for a handball on Abu Taha. This cancellation became a turning point, and control shifted to Morocco, whose players maintained their focus and played with experience that surpassed their Jordanian counterparts.

In the 100th minute, from a set piece that had become a deadly weapon for Morocco since they also scored their second goal from it, the veteran Hamdallah exploited Jordan's poor defensive organization and scored the third goal, igniting the Lusail Stadium stands with an incredible Moroccan celebration.

The remaining five minutes of the first extra half and the second extra half witnessed no dangerous attacks due to Jordanian players rushing while Moroccan players remained focused, experienced, and calm, successfully maintaining the result and winning their second Arab Cup title in history.

Swedish referee Nyberg managed the match well, but his problem was poor positioning and excessive reliance on VAR technology. Even clear and obvious decisions were not decisive, as he always waited for VAR assistance, according to refereeing experts who counted five prominent refereeing incidents considered controversial.