Al Sadd edge Duhail 3-2 on penalties for their 4th Qatar Cup triumph
Doha
Al Sadd claimed their fourth Qatar Cup title, their second trophy of the season following the Qatar Stars League triumph, as they beat arch-rivals Al Duhail 3-2 in a nervy penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw in regulation time at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Saturday.
His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of Qatar Olympic Committee, along with President of Al Sadd Club HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani, awarded Al Sadd captain Hassan Al Haydos with the trophy. Sheikh Joaan also honoured the winners and runners-up in presence of H.E. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain, President of Qatar Football Association, and H.E. Hani Ballan, CEO of Qatar Stars League.
Goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham was the hero for Al Sadd as he saved two successive penalty kicks diving first to his left and then to his right.
While Hassan Al Haydos, Akram Afif, Rafa Mujica, and Claudinho scored for Al Sadd, Pedro Miguel missed. For Al Duhail, Almoez Ali, Edmilson Jr., and Benjamin Bourigeaud were on target but Michael Olunga and Karim Boudiaf erred.
A delighted Al Sadd coach Felix Sanchez credited his players for the achievement.
'I'm very happy for our supporters. The players put in an incredible effort. We played against a top team, and it was a great match,' Sanchez said after the win.
He also heaped praise on Barsham. 'Barsham once again emerged as the hero in the penalty shootout. We always say: he'll save two, so we just need to score four. It's a privilege to have a goalkeeper like him.'
'We'll celebrate tonight, but tomorrow we start preparing for our next match.'
A smiling as always, Barsham said, 'I enjoy penalties. I stay optimistic and fearless,' he said. 'It was a tough match — Al Duhail played really well.
Al Duhail made an aggressive start to the match but Al Sadd held fort despite some anxious moments in the opening half. Barsham was instrumental in making a good save here as well.
The Red Knights fetched lead in the 49th minute when Olunga headed home a corner kick.
Al Sadd hit back in the 63rd minute after Miguel brought down during a corner kick and the referee ruled a penalty. The spot kick was converted by Claudinho 1-1.
Al Duhail, however, regained lead three minutes later - opening the attack from the right flank and Benjamin Bourigeaud connected a Bassem Al Rawi cross from in front of the goal while being in line of the defence (2-1).
Al Sadd pulled level again (in the 86th minute) as Rafa Mujica leapt high to make a fine header off a Claudinho lob from the left. 2-2
The two extra-time halves failed to break the deadlock and The Wolves eventually prevailed in the shootout on their home turf. The victory left both the Al Sadd players and fans elated.
This is Al Sadd's fourth Qatar Cup triumph after 2017, 2020 and 2021, since the tournament's inception in 2014.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Qatar Tribune
a day ago
- Qatar Tribune
Starting trouble: Al Sadd licking wounds after opening loss; Al Duhail keen on better showing
Vinay Nayudu Doha In what must have been a feeling of déjà vu for Al Sadd, the defending champions suffered a setback in their opening match of the new season of Qatar Stars League against Qatar SC losing 2-3 in their own backyard of Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Saturday. The Wolves who had recently won the Al Ahrar Cup defeating Morocco's Wydad 5-4 on penalties at the same venue a week ago, appeared a bit rusty against Qatar SC. Al Sadd appeared slow off the blocks and lacked penetrating power which they usually display while trying to make a comeback in any game. Interestingly, Al Sadd had a similar start the last season where they had gone down 1-2 to Al Shamal but only to bounce back with a 5-1 victory over Qatar SC in the next round. On their way to the title last season, Al Sadd lost only 4 of their 22 games with only 1 draw result. The other three games Al Sadd lost were against Umm Salal (1-3 in Week 4), vs Al Duhail (1-5, Week 5) and against Qatar SC (1-0) in the second meeting of the league in Week 13. Their only draw came against Al Ahli 2-2 in Week 11. So, Al Sadd do have this great ability of bouncing back and once they find the rhythm then there is no stopping the Wolves. And they would be certainly more than keen to hit back against Al Ahli in their next clash coming Thursday (August 21) at Al Thumama Stadium. Yet, they would surely be reading into the reversal in detail. Al Sadd's coach Felix Sanchez had served a cautionary reminder to his team before the game against Qatar SC, perhaps knowing well that the opposition knew how to get the better of them. 'We remember last season, when we were unable to start with a victory. We know that we will face a team that has undergone many changes in the coaching staff and has added new players,' Sanchez had said before the clash. 'The first match is always important because a good start to the season is essential, especially for the defending champions.' But a good start wasn't to be and Al Sadd's Moustafa Tarek Mashal, after the match, said, 'We tried hard but were unsuccessful. This is just the beginning. We will make up for it in the upcoming matches. There's no specific reason for the loss.' Qatar SC's Nasir Peer Baksh was happy with his team's victory. 'We achieved an important victory at the beginning of the league,' he said. 'With the new technical staff, the three points will motivate us going forward. We must continue with the same spirit and performance.' Al Duhail, who had come closer to clinching the title last season but ended up as runners-up, had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Al Shahania in their opening match of the new season. The Red Knights had begun their previous season with a thumping 6-1 win against Qatar SC. And, they had lost 1-2 to Al Shahania in Week 6. Like Al Sadd, the last season, Al Duhail also had lost only 4 matches out of 22 but had 2 drawn games, 1 more than Al Sadd. Which in the end meant that they lost the tile to Al Sadd by a difference of two points. Al Sadd had ended with a total of 52 points to Al Duhail's 50. Al Duhail would hence know the importance of every point lost and gained. However, a draw is still a better result than a loss. Speaking after the match against Al Shahania, Duhail's Bassam Al Rawi said, 'We were hoping to perform better. The league is long, and we can't judge our team based on the first match. Today, we had the same line up that beat Sepahan (in AFC Champions League preliminary match), but we didn't get the start we wanted.' Al Duhail next play Al Wakrah on Saturday (August 23) at the Khalifa International Stadium and much like Al Sadd would like to make a telling comeback. Meanwhile, Al Shahania's Spanish coach Santi Denia was proud of his team's show against Al Duhail and said, 'Our players showed great courage and fighting spirit on the field, and this gives us strong motivation to continue working. 'The point we earned today is extremely important. It gives the team confidence and confirms that we are capable of competing against any opponent. 'We need to improve our performance in both defence and attack, and we must focus more on set pieces and defensive coverage, as these small details often decide big matches.' The Qatar Stars League is well and truly on!
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
Qatar SC shock Al Sadd 3-2; Al Duhail settle for 1-1 draw with Al Shahania
Tribune News Network Doha Reigning champions Al Sadd were handed a 3-2 opening loss by Qatar Sports Club while last year's runners-up Al Duhail were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw by Al Shahania in the opening week of Doha Bank Stars League on Saturday. In the late evening clash under lights and on their home turf at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Al Sadd were provided with a wake-up call by Qatar SC - who led 1-0 at half time. Ali Saoudi (36'), Said Mohamed Brahmi (73') and Jaoa Pedro Pereira dos Santos (79') scored for Qatar SC while Guilherme Torres (57') and Claudinho (84') were on target for Al Sadd. Qatar SC began on a positive note trying to push the Al Sadd defence line deep and in the 31st minute goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham had to make a leap to make a fine save. A warning served, Qatar SC hit back again, five minutes later, as Ali Saoudi nodded home a header on the bounce off a corner kick into the left corner of the net. Al Sadd found the equalizer in dramatic circumstances in the second session. Brazilian midlfielder Torres shot home the ball after Guilherme drove in a powerful kick from just outside the box which the goalkeeper stopped but the ball ricocheted off. The linesman raised the flag but following a long VAR, the referee ruled it as a goal (1-1). Sixteen minutes later, Qatar SC substitute Brahmi struck within 10 seconds of coming in to the match as he headed in from near the right post. He was superbly fed with a long ball by winger Faiz Selemani from the left (2-1). Qatar SC shocked the fancied rivals with another successful strike within six minutes as Joao Pedro unleashed a sweeper into the right corner past a diving Barsham (3-1). Frantic to make a comeback, Al Sadd registered their second goal, six minutes from regulation time, with Claudinho heading in a long flying kick from Paulo Silva (3-2). Eleven minutes of added injury time wasn't of much help as Al Sadd failed to draw parity again. Al Duhail held by Al Shahania At the Khalifa International Stadium, Al Duhail were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw by Al Shahania. Dutch Pelle van Amersfoort provided Al Shahania with the lead (24th minute) as he deflected in a gentle pass from Moameen Mutasem Ragab from the right, inside the box. Al Duhail equalized early in the second half (52nd minute) with Karim Boudiaf heading in a fine free-kick - taken by Bourigeaud Benjamin from about 20 yards outside the box to the right. Earlier, in the 37th minute of the match an Ibrahima Bamba goal for Al Duhail was ruled out for off-side by VAR. Bamba had made a successful kick after the goalkeeper dived to keep the ball out following a free kick and a header.
Qatar Tribune
4 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
AFC CL Elite and Two draws to be held today
AFC/TNN Doha Asia's finest clubs will learn their paths to continental glory today when the league stage draw for the AFC Champions League Elite (ACL Elite) 2025-26 takes place at the InterContinental Kuala Lumpur. Following the resounding success of the rebranded 2024/25 season, the prestigious competition is set to deliver another edition of thrilling matchups. The draw will feature 24 elite clubs, with the League Stage scheduled to kick off on September 15. Representing Qatar are Qatar Stars League champions Al Sadd, Amir Cup winners Al Gharafa, and Al Duhail, who sealed their place with a decisive victory over Iran's Sepahan SC on Tuesday. Defending champions Al Ahli Saudi FC, who lifted their maiden ACL Elite trophy in May, will return with sights firmly set on back-to-back titles. The Saudi giants are among five former champions in the draw, alongside three debutants: Korea Republic's Gangwon FC, Japan's FC Machida Zelvia, and China PR's Chengdu Rongcheng FC. As Asia's top-tier club tournament returns for its 23rd edition, all eyes are on the draw - the first step on the road to continental supremacy. Meanwhile, the draw for the AFC Champions League Two(ACL Two) 2025-26 will also take place today in Kuala Lumpur, with 32 teams set to discover their Group Stage opponents. The competition, which kicks off on September 16 in a home-and-away round-robin format, will spotlight some of Asia's emerging clubs from 22 Member Associations. PFC Andijon (Uzbekistan) and Cong An Ha Noi FC (Vietnam) are set to make their debut appearances in the Group Stage of an AFC competition, while Al Muharraq SC (Bahrain) stand out as the only former champions in the field. Qatar will be represented by Al Ahli, who secured qualification after finishing fourth in the QSL last season. FC Goa's maiden qualification Captain Sandesh Jhingan sees FC Goa's success in reaching the AFC Champions League Two as the perfect reward for the Indian club's desire to climb to greater heights. Qualification into the group stage was achieved on Wednesday thanks to a hard-fought 2-1 win against Al Seeb Club where the Oman side threatened to stage a comeback and scupper FC Goa's hopes of continental football for the first time since 2021. 'We are very happy with the win,' said Jhingan. Dejan Drazic put FC Goa ahead in the 24th minute before Javier Siverio doubled their advantage eight minutes into the restart, with Nasser Al Rawahi's goal for Al Seeb on the hour mark. FC Goa will now go into Friday's draw as the second representative from India with Mohun Bagan Super Giant also in the mix and Jhingan believes that the entire club deserve their place in Asia.
