Al Sadd wallop Al Arabi 4-0 to claim Ooredoo Cup title
Al Sadd claimed the 2019-20 Ooredoo Cup title after walloping Al Arabi 4-0 in the final at the Al Duhail Stadium on Saturday.
Yousef Abdulrazaq (17th minute), Nam Tae-Hee (53rd minute), Santi Cazorla (77th minute), and Rodrigo Tabata (90+1) hit the net for Al Sadd as the 2019 QSL champions claimed their 72nd title overall in all competitions in style.
Al Sadd were crowned the champions in a festive atmosphere as their players, as well as the technical and administrative staff, celebrated the feat.
In hindsight, Al Sadd had much more of the ball right throughout the game and were in control, whereas Al Arabi showed promise in the first half only to be playing second fiddle to their rivals as the match wore on.
After The Wolves' initial forays, Al Arabi created a few chances.
Hamdi Harbaoui hit his shot against the crossbar from long distance in the 11th minute. Immediately afterward, Mehrdad Mohammadi missed a sitter with only goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham to beat.
Hamdi was at it again in the 16th minute, but Meshaal blocked his angular shot this time.
Al Sadd surged ahead the next minute as Yousef was spot-on for a through pass from the middle by Nam and the former beat Al Arabi goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada, who had left his charge too far, and Fahad Shnein before sending the ball into an open net of the team he represented last season.
Al Arabi's attacks started waning and Al Sadd took control. Rodrigo Tabata missed the target narrowly in the 21st minute.
Soon after the restart, Nam sent a shot wide, but he was not to be denied and found the target with the help of Cazorla, catching the rival defense napping.
It was Al Sadd more on the attack in the second session as well. Tabata, Yousef, and Nam led the charge, with Cazorla and the other players lending their support.
Cazorla added a third goal with an easy shot that gave no chance for the goalkeeper to block it. Yousef was the pass provider.
As Al Sadd were cruising to an easy win, Al Arabi's Sebastian Soria made an attempt at the goal, only to be thwarted by Meshaal.
Tabata rounded off the tally in stoppage time off a pass by Nam.
Al Sadd made it to the final by beating Al Ahli 2-0 in the semifinals. They progressed to the last four, edging Qatar SC 5-4 on penalties after the regular time ended in a 1-1 draw.
Al Sadd advanced to the knockout quarterfinals as the third team from Group A with seven points, after Al Ahli (12 points) and Al Wakrah (eight points).
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