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| Photo: Fadi Al Assaad - Reuters |
Al Sadd (3) [Mahmoud 31’, Kasula 59’, Al Haydos 90’]
Lekhwiya (2) [Msakni 27’, Dia 66’]
Al Sadd continued this season's impressive form with a hard-earned 3-2 victory over their new arch rivals Lekhwiya to book their place in the final of Qatar’s most prestigious competition for the second straight year.
With Lekhwiya set to face Saudi giants Al Hilal after less than three days in the round of 16 of the AFC Champions League, their first ever appearance in the knockout stage of Asia’s premier competition, Belgian coach Eric Gerets, decided to omit his team’s top scorer Sebastian Soria and South Korean star Nam Tae Hee, from the starting line-up. Despite dominating most of the opening half, Al Sadd found themselves one goal down after 27 minutes, when Ismael Mohamed sent an inviting cross from the right flank and the completely unmarked Youssef Msakni headed the ball in with ease.
Younis Mahmoud leveled the score four minutes later with a beautiful header, benefiting from a Nadir Belhadj’s pinpoint cross.Al Sadd kept on the pressure and went ahead again ten minutes after the break when Younis Mahmoud sent a powerful long range effort that hit Raul Gonzalez, took a deflection and went in, but the goal was canceled as the Spaniard was in an offside position.
Few minutes later, Mohamed Kasula benefited from poor defending by Lekhwiya defense to head in, this time a legitimate goal for the league champions, after another perfect cross from Belhadj.
Lekhwiya refused to surrender and hit back with an equalizer from Issiar Dia, who sent a powerful low shot from the edge of the box that found its way to the back of the net through a jungle of Al Sadd defenders’ legs. Lekhwiya was the more dangerous side in the final minutes and nearly snatched a winner, but Adel Lami’s close range effort was blocked by a great sliding tackle from Ibrahim Majid.
In the closing minute, Khalfan won a free kick near the edge of the area, and everyone on the field was waiting for him to take it, but Al Haydos, who was in front of the dead ball with his back to the goal, surprised everyone by a quick turn and a fierce shot that gave no chance to Lekhwiya keeper Amine Lecomte and took his side to the big final.Al Sadd will be looking for their 14th Emir Cup title when they face Al Rayyan in the final on May 18th.
Al Sadd: Saad Al Shib – Lee Jung Soo, Mohamed Kasula, Ibrahim Majid, Abdul Karim Hassan – Nadir Belhadj, Talal Al Bloushi, Hassan Al Haydos, Khalfan Ibrahim – Raul Gonzalez, Younis Mahmoud (Wisam Rizq 90+2’] – Coach: Houcine AmoutaLekhwiya: Amine Lecomte – Madjid Bougherra, Dame Traore, Khaled Moftah, Mohamed Moussa – Karim Boudiaf, Luiz Junior, Adel Lami – Youssef Msakni, Issiar Dia, Ismael Mohamed – Coach: Eric Gerets
Referee: Andrea De Marco (Italy) – Assistants: Francisco De Luca (Italy) & Marco Barbirati (Italy)  |
| Photo: QNAOL |
Al Rayyan (1) [Fernandez 20’]
Al Jaish (1) [Abdullah 49’]
Al Rayyan won 5-4 on Penalties
Al Rayyan dominated the first half and took a deserved lead in the 20th minute, when Uruguayan Alvaro Fernandez broke the offside trap before heading in Fabio Cesar’s cross past Al Jaish goalkeeper Ahmed Sofian.Al Jaish (1) [Abdullah 49’]
Al Rayyan won 5-4 on Penalties
"The Maroon Battalion" equalized early in the second half with low powerful shot from Mohamed Abdullah after Al Rayyan defense failed to properly clear a corner from Karim Ziani.
Sofian was in top form as he made a number of crucial saves to deny Al Rayyan's Brazilian duo Nilmar and Rodrigo Tabata and take the match to a penalty shootout.The first nine penalty kicks went in, before Al Jaish’s Abdul Kader Ilyas sent the decisive kick wide to hand Al Rayyan their 15thappearance in the Emir Cup final.
Al Rayyan: Omar Barry – Cho Yong Huyng, Moussa Haroun, Abdul Karim Al Ali – Mohamed Alaa (Hamed Ismael 78’), Fabio Cesar, Hamad Al Abedy, Daniel Gomou, Alvaro Fernandez – Rodrigo Tabata, Nilmar – Coach:Carlos AguirreAl Jaish: Ahmed Sofian – Nayef Al Khater, Fawaz Al Khater (70’ Abdullah Ayesh), Anderson, Mosaab Mahmoud – Khaled Abdul Raouf (Go Seul Ki 59’), Mohamed Abduallah, Mohamed El Sayed “Jeddo” (Maged Mohamed 42’), Karim Ziani – Abdul Kader Ilyas, Wagner – Coach:Razvan Lucescu
Referee: Alain Bieri (Switzerland) – Assistants: Raffael Zeder (Switzerland) & Bruno Zurbruegg (Switzerland).