Algeria have been crowned as champions of the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup, after defeating neigbours Tunisia 2-0 after extra time in Saturday’s final.
Goals from Amir Sayoud and Yacine Brahimi helped the Dessert Foxes clinch the title for the first time ever at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor.
Heading into the crunchy tie, the Carthage Eagles subdued Egypt 1-0 in the last four while Djamel Belmadi’s men overcame hosts Qatar 2-1.
Sayoud had opened scoring in the 99th minute with a thunderous strike which turned him into an instant national hero.
Brahimi scored on a breakaway with the last kick of the game as Tunisia pushed everyone up for a last-gasp corner and Brahimi raced away unchecked after the ball was cleared by the Algeria defence.
The Desert Warriors claimed the title with longest unbeaten streak in international football history snapping Italy’s longest undefeated streak in international football history with 38 consecutive games.
The win ensured Algeria added the Arab crown to the Africa Cup of Nations title won in 2019, and will five million US dollars prize money.
Al Jazeera’s sports correspondent Joanna Gasiorowska, speaking from Al-Bayt Stadium, said it was an “incredible finish” by an Algerian side that was “young and under-strength”.
“They don’t have their European stars in the side and they registered in the tournament as Algeria A,” she said. “They have done so well to get this far [to the final], and now they have won the tournament. It’s just really incredible.”
