Al Sadd trounce Al Duhail 4-1 in Amir Cup semis; set up final clash with Al Arabi
Al Sadd and Al Arabi are set for the final showdown of the 2020 Amir Cup after both teams posted emphatic wins against Al Duhail and Al Markhiya respectively in the semi-finals matches played over the weekend at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa (Al Duhail) Stadium.
While eight-time champions Al Arabi reached their first Amir Cup final in 26 years, and the 12th in their history, with a 2-0 defeat of the Qatargas League side Al Markhiya on Friday, Al Sadd, the tournament’s most successful team with 16 titles, meanwhile, came back from a goal down to eviscerate Al Duhail 4-1 in yesterday’s match.
It was sweet revenge for the coach Xavi-led Al Sadd as the team paid Al Duhail back in their coin, winning with the same scoreline they were beating with at last year’s final - held to inaugurate the Al Janoub Stadium. The match was Xavi’s last match as a player before taking up the mantle as the coach of The Wolves.
Yesterday’s encounter was a game of two halves, with Duhail dominating the first, only to be outplayed by Sadd in the second. Edmilson had put Duhail ahead in the 10th minute after an error from Sadd goalkeeper Barshem Meshaal.
Duhail after a disciplined defensive show in the first half, completely lost the plot in the second. After an Edmilson goal was ruled out for handball by the Brazilian midfielder, Boualem Khouki equalized for Sadd with a beautiful header in the 58th minute, which opened the floodgate for Xavi's men. Guilherme Santos Torres doubled the advantage in the 64th minute, while substitute Baghdad Boundejah made it 3-0 in the 77th minute. Rodrigo Tabata then completed Duhail’s misery in the 88th minute with a strike from half-line after goalkeeper Khalifa Abubakar was way off the goalpost.
"We feel delighted after this deserved victory," said Xavi, who was involved in a heated exchange with Al Duhail’s recently appointed coach Sabri Lamouchi on the touchline.
“We were better than Duhail since the beginning of the match. We conceded an early goal, but we kept pressing ahead and enjoyed greater possession. We controlled the match throughout. I am delighted that we have beaten Duhail for the fourth time in a row,” the Sadd coach said.
Lamouchi said Sadd were superior on the night. “We have a lot to work on and improve. Al Sadd were the better team. They have better individual players, and they were good physically too," he said.
While Xavi was upbeat after the match, he was furious with his defensive line as they came under Duhail attack. The hosts could have had two goals inside eight minutes, with Ramin Rezaeian’s free-kick flying just wide off the post, while Sultan al-Brake’s shot hit the side-net.
Sadd’s tactic of playing from the back was fraught with danger and Meshaal’s wrong pass allowed Duhail an opening. The Sadd goalkeeper’s intended pass to Wooyoung Jung was intercepted by Mohamed Muntari, who then passed it on to Edmilson. Meshaal blocked the midfielder's first shot, but the rebound was quickly latched on by Edmilson, who celebrated with a gesture towards the dugout after Lamouchi had left him out in the last couple of matches.
Sadd did manage to create a couple of chances, but Lamouchi had set up his defenders correctly, which did not allow any space for Akram Afif. Duhail also stretched the game with Dudu and Edmilson posing a real threat on the wings, as Sadd and Xavi were left frustrated in the first half.
Xavi introduced Bounedjah, who recovered from an injury, in the 51st minute to replace Yousuf Abdurisag but it was drama at the Duhail end which proved the turning point.
The hosts thought they had gone 2-0 up in the 54th minute when Ramin Semeskandi found the net after a pass from Edmilson. But the goal was overruled after a VAR review, with the ball touching Edmilson’s hand from a rebound of Wooyoung block.
It was a massive sigh of relief for Sadd, and they made the most of that lucky break. In the 58th minute, defender Khoukhi made it 1-1, rising highest to head home a Afif cross. Six minutes later, Afif took advantage of clumsy clearance from al-Brake, sliding through up Torres who side-footed an effort beyond the onrushing Abubakar.
With the lead having slipped away, Lamouchi substituted Edmilson and Muntari – two of his potent attacking threats and that played into Sadd’s hand. Bounedjah, playing as a lone striker upfront, netted Sadd’s third goal in the 77th minute, dribbling into the box and scoring with a low shot that went past two Duhail defenders and their keeper.
In the 88th minute, substitute Rodrigo Tabata made it 4-1 with a shot from near the halfway line, with Abubakar having advanced outside the penalty box. Duhail would end the game with nine men after Dudu and Ali Afif were sent off in stoppage time.
Meanwhile, Al Arabi booked their Amir Cup final ticket courtesy of goals from Midfielder Aron Gunnarsson (17th minute) and striker Abdulaziz Al Ansari (59’) on Friday.
Al Arabi’s last title-win came in 2011 when they won the Sheikh Jassim Cup, with Friday's win giving them a golden opportunity to end the drought of trophies.
"We are proud to make a return to the Amir Cup final. It is a step in the right direction for us. We are doing a good job, but we still need to work hard as it is still a long way to go for us," Al Arabi coach Heimir Hallgrimsson said after yesterday's win.
"We deserved the victory, and I want to congratulate Al Markhiya for their strong performance and great spirit," Hallgrimsson said.
Backed by a good number of fans, Al Arabi dominated the entire match, giving no chance of an upset to Al Markhiya, coached by Omar Naji. Qatar coach Felix Sanchez was also in the stands to watch the semi-final.
Al Arabi started making attacks right from the beginning and enjoyed the lion’s share of ball possession in the match. Tunisian player Hamdi Amdulmaged gave Al Markhiya first scare with a hit from near the penalty spot, forcing their goalkeeper Basel Samih to make a diving save.
After a series of more attempts, Icelander Gunnarsson, finally, opened account following a free-kick, which was taken by Iranian Mahdi Torabi. Gunnarsson got Torabi’s ball while in a perfect position at the center, and he made no mistake in netting the ball on a clinical strike, leaving no chance for a diving Samih.
Al Arabi doubled their lead with a fiery hit from Al Ansari, who scored from just inside the circle on the right corner after being set up by Abdulmaged.
Hallgrimsson made two changes sending seasoned Sebastian Soria and Yasir Abubakar in place of Keshrazi and Fahad Obaid with more than 20 minutes to go. Despite the late attempts at a comeback by Al Markhiya, the “Dream Team” rock-solid defense remained resolute as they saw out the game.
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