Qatar erupts in celebration after defeating rival UAE on the football field

There was more than football at play in Tuesday's Asian Cup clash between the UAE and Qatar in Abu Dhabi.

1 min read

The New Arab

29 Jan, 2019

Qataris poured out onto the streets of the Gulf state to celebrate Tuesday's victory [AFP]

Tuesday's semi-final Asian Cup clash between Qatar and the UAE was not just a historic football clash for supporters in Doha, but also a matter of national pride.

With Qataris effectively banned from the match in Abu Dhabi they were left to watch the game on TV at home in Doha, eager to see their team get one over the UAE, which has played a key role in the blockade of Qatar.

With the highly-charged match being played in UAE capital, Qatar's players entered the lion's den to a chorus of boos, and the players to a barrage of boots.

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The UAE government sought to buy-up unsold tickets and gave them out to Emiratis for free, rather than allow "neutral" Omanis to purchase them and show moral support for the blockaded Qataris.

Qatar outplayed, outmatched, and outsmarted their Emirati opponents and won the game 100 miles-per-hour.

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Cue celebrations in Doha, where supporters spilled out onto the streets in their thousands, waving the country's maroon-and-white flag following this ever so sweet victory over the UAE.

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