Palestine and Syria mark advance to Arab Cup quarter finals

Joyful scenes broke out on the field and among the crowd in Doha on Sunday as Palestine and Syria secured their spots in the Arab Cup quarter finals after a goalless stalemate.

The milestone of progressing to the knockout phase of this Qatar hosted regional competition carried deeper meaning for each team, overshadowed by the lingering impact of turmoil back home.

Merely weeks before in Gaza, the fighting triggered by Hamas assault on Israel paused under a tentative truce mediated by the United States.

For the Syrian team, the fixture fell on the brink of the yearly remembrance of Bashar al Assads removal, the figure whose violent response to pro democracy rallies ignited a decade of conflict.

Each country understood that a tie in their concluding Group A fixture would clinch first position for Palestine while allowing Syria to move forward in runner up spot.

Well before the concluding whistle, some 40000 supporters crammed into Education City Stadium started to dance and sing in honour of both teams reaching the final eight.

Once the match wrapped up, the athletes on the turf traded shirts and snapped pictures as one, with the managers of the groups sharing warm hugs.

"We are very happy to top the group, which included two great teams like Qatar and Tunisia, and we congratulate all Palestinian fans," said Palestine striker Oday Dabbagh.

"We played to win, especially after learning about Tunisia's lead over Qatar, but we lacked the final touch in front of the goal... The most important thing is that we qualified."

Palestine manager Ehab Abu Jazar offered praise for his mother, who escaped her residence alongside his sibling and various relatives, and currently dwells in a tent within Gaza.

"She has a lot of experience with sports, and she told me to play carefully," he told AFP.

Syrian forward Mahmoud al Mawas stated the outcome "means a lot to Syrians because it coincides with the Liberation Day celebrations...

"Now, all our focus will be on the quarter-final."

In a coffee house in Damascus, Syrias capital city, 30 year old Wafa Durri followed the action, her nations banner painted across her right cheek.

"I had never supported the national team, but after the liberation everything changed, and now I support it with all my heart," she said.