Al Duhail players celebrate with goalkeeper Bautista Burke after the win.
Doha, Qatar: Goalkeeper Bautista Burke emerged as the hero as Al Duhail edged past Al Gharafa 4-3 in a dramatic penalty shootout to book a blockbuster Qatar Cup final date with Al Sadd.
After 120 tense minutes without a goal in the second semi-final at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Burke’s heroics sealed victory for Christophe Galtier’s men, setting up a high-stakes showdown on May 10 against their arch-rivals at the same venue.
Al Sadd had earlier defeated Al Ahli 3-0 in the first semi-final on Tuesday. The two finalists had also fought fiercely for the Qatar Stars League title, with the Wolves ultimately emerging victorious.
The 22-year-old Argentine goalkeeper gave Al Duhail the upper hand in the shootout by saving Fabricio Diaz’s effort, putting his side 4-3 ahead. Sultan Al Brake then had the chance to seal the win but scooped his attempt over the bar, keeping Al Gharafa’s hopes alive.
However, Burke rose to the occasion once more, diving to his right to produce a brilliant save from Yacine Brahimi, sparking celebrations among Al Duhail fans and securing their place in the final.
“We are happy to win and qualify for the final of the Qatar Cup after a strong and marathon match. For us, we achieved the most important thing by qualifying for the final and getting closer to the title,” Al Duhail’s Ismail Mohamed said after the victory.
“The match was not easy. We will work hard to compete for the Qatar Cup title and also for the Amir Cup, especially after losing the league title.”
It was a cagey start to the much-anticipated semi-final, with Al Duhail dominating possession in the early stages. Both teams approached the game with caution, resulting in limited action in the final third at either end.
Al Duhail carved out their first real opportunity in the 24th minute, when captain Almoez Ali failed to capitalise on a promising opening. After Hakim Ziyech found space down the right, his cross proved too tricky for Al Gharafa goalkeeper Khalifa Ababacar, who couldn’t gather cleanly. The ball fell to Almoez at close range, but he missed the connection, with the ball slipping through his legs.
Chances remained few and far between. In the 34th minute, Al Gharafa’s Joselu squandered a decent opportunity, firing wide from just inside the box.
Rodrigo Moreno also tried his luck from distance but saw his ambitious effort sail off target.
The first half ended goalless, with neither side managing a single shot on target in a tightly contested and uneventful opening 45 minutes.
Almoez registered the first shot on target of the match in the 54th minute, following a deflected effort from Bourigeaud Benjamin that rebounded off a defender. The Al Duhail striker struck from the edge of the box, but his attempt was well saved by Ababacar, who reacted sharply with a diving stop.
With 15 minutes remaining, Al Duhail’s Burke kept the match level by tipping away a threatening header from Joselu, who rose well to meet a cross.
Almoez later drew a crucial foul, earning a yellow card for Seydou Sano, but substitute Edmilson Junior – who had replaced Michael Olunga in the 71st minute – fired the resulting free kick wide from just outside the area.
Brahimi then crafted another opportunity for Joselu, only for the Spaniard to send his header over the bar. Almoez continued to press, testing Ababacar once more with a low drive, but the keeper was equal to it.
Despite a late surge in intensity, neither side could break the deadlock as the match headed into extra time.
Substitute Ismail Mohamad thought he had put Al Duhail ahead shortly after the restart, latching onto a through ball from Edmilson Junior, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Ababacar had to fend off several Al Duhail attempts during extra time, before the match was ultimately decided on penalties – where Burke excelled to take Al Duhail through.
“We had some good spells during the match, especially when we focused on our defensive organisation - and we succeeded in that aspect. But unfortunately, we couldn’t capitalise on our counterattacks,” said Al Gharafa’s Ferjani Sassi.
“It was a tightly contested match, with a real battle in midfield and a lot of physical effort from both sides. In the end, we congratulate Al Duhail on the win and apologise to our fans for not making it to the final.”
