Egypt knocked out of Arab Beach Soccer Cup by Morocco in semi-final

Egypt’s hopes of retaining the Arab Beach Soccer Cup ended with a 3-2 semi-final defeat by Morocco.

The tournament is being hosted on the beaches of Port Said governorate from 5 to 10 November, with eight national teams taking part. Morocco’s victory secured their place in the final, while Egypt were left without the chance to compete for the title.

Mauritania also booked a place in the final after beating Lebanon in the other semi-final.

Egypt had reached the knockout stage after finishing their Group A campaign alongside Mauritania, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. They began with a 5-2 victory before recording the same score against Iraq in their second match.

Their final group fixture ended in a 4-1 defeat by Mauritania, but Egypt still progressed to the semi-finals. Their loss to Morocco, however, brought their title defence to an end.

Egypt won the fourth edition of the competition in Saudi Arabia in 2023, with Oman finishing runners-up. The latest defeat means they will not be able to retain the trophy.

The Arab Beach Soccer Cup was first held in Egypt in 2008, when Libya won the inaugural edition. The second tournament took place in Saudi Arabia in 2010 and was won by the United Arab Emirates.

The United Arab Emirates also claimed the third edition in 2014, which was hosted by Egypt, before Egypt secured their first title in the fourth edition in 2023.