Al Sadd’s Claudinho and Giovani celebrate as Al Ahli’s Matej Mitrovic (left) reacts after scoring an own goal during the first semi-final.
Doha, Qatar: Al Sadd yesterday stormed into the Qatar Cup final with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Al Ahli at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, staying on track for another domestic title.
The newly-crowned Qatar Stars League (QSL) champions took the lead through an own goal by Matej Mitrovic in 30th minute, before Tarek Salman and Rafa Mujica sealed the win in the first semi-final with goals in the 76th and 82nd minutes, respectively.
Felix Sanchez’s side will face the winners of today’s second semi-final between Al Duhail and Al Gharafa in the title clash on May 10.
“We achieved a strong win over Al Ahli thanks to the hard work of the players and coaching staff. Now we’re one step away from another title,” said goal-scorer Salman after the victory.
“Our focus now shifts to the AFC Champions League Elite quarter-final against Kawasaki [on Sunday] in Jeddah. We count on the support and prayers of our fans to give our best in Asia.”
Despite the score-line, Al Ahli, led by Igor Bascan, put up a much-improved performance compared to their 5-0 thrashing by Al Sadd in the QSL on Friday.
The Brigadiers started brightly, creating the first real chance when captain Jasem Mohamed Omer fired wide from inside the box after Sekou Oumar Yansane dodged goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham to set up the opportunity.
Al Sadd responded quickly, with Akram Afif testing goalkeeper Marwan Sherif from long range, but the goalkeeper made a comfortable save. The Wolves continued to press, with Yusuf Abdurisag forcing another save from Sherif with a shot from an angle.
Al Ahli came close to taking the lead when Driss Fettouhi’s superb free kick from the right hit the crossbar and was cleared to safety.
The deadlock was broken when Mitrovic, trying to block Afif’s cross to Giovani, inadvertently turned the ball into his own net, giving Al Sadd a lead. The game slowed after the goal, and Al Sadd took their slim advantage into the break.
In the second half, Al Ahli came out with intent, and Yansane drew a fine save from Barsham with a powerful close-range shot. To shore up the defence, Sanchez brought on defender Paulo Otavio for forward Abdurisag.
Although on the back foot, Al Sadd had their moments, with Afif making a brilliant solo run past several defenders. However, the move ended in a corner. Ali Asad then came close to doubling the lead with a shot from outside the box, but Sherif was equal to the effort.
Afif thought he had extended the lead soon after, but his goal was ruled out for offside. Al Sadd finally doubled their advantage after another mistake from Mitrovic. His weak back pass towards the goalkeeper was intercepted by Salman, who calmly slotted past the exposed Sherif.
The result was sealed when Mujica finished from close range after Otavio collected a rebound from Afif’s blocked shot and squared it across the face of goal.
Al Duhail, Al Gharafa set for thriller
Meanwhile, Al Duhail head coach Christophe Galtier has rallied his side to refocus their efforts after a second-place finish in the QSL. The Frenchman sees the Qatar Cup as a crucial opportunity to win first silverware of the season.
“Our goal is to achieve victory, qualify for the final and compete for the Qatar Cup,” Galtier said in the pre-match press conference.
“After losing the league title, we must keep fighting for what’s left this season.”
Galtier expects nothing less than a stern test against Al Gharafa, who pushed his side earlier in the season. Their previous QSL games ended in a 1-1 draw and a 2-0 win for Al Duhail in the return leg.
“We know how hard both teams have fought throughout the season. It’s going to be an exciting semi-final,” Galtier added.
Al Gharafa, led by head coach Pedro Martins, finished third in the QSL and head into the semi-final with momentum and belief.
“All the players are in good condition and ready for this important match,” said Martins. “We’ll do our best to win and qualify for the final. It’s also an opportunity for us to continue developing as a team.”
Martins acknowledged the strength of the opposition but stressed his team’s readiness: “Al Duhail are a very strong and well-organised side, but we are prepared and will approach the match with full commitment.”
