(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Fawad Hussain |
The Peninsula
The iconic Lusail Stadium – venue for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 final – is set to host the Lusail Super Cup between Asian champions Al Hilal and African giants Zamalek SC, tonight.
With both the giants of Arab leagues seeking victory in an eagerly-awaited contest, the match is dubbed the last test before Qatar's biggest stadium with 80,000 seats hosts the Qatar 2022 matches. The state-of-the-art venue will host ten matches during the World Cup.
Besides staging the six group stage games, it will host knockout contests in the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final on December 18, which is also the Qatar National Day.
Lusail Stadium hosted its first competitive match in August, staging a QNB Stars League (QSL) clash between Al Arabi and Al Rayyan with a limited number of tickets allocated for the match.
However, a huge turnout is expected in tonight's contest – which kicks off at 9pm – with both the sides having huge fan bases.
From left: Al Hilal coach Ramon Diaz and Zamalek coach Jesualdo Ferreira
“Lusail Super Cup will be an amazing experience for fans and it will be the last opportunity to test the readiness of this magnificent venue before the World Cup,” said Eng. Yasir Al Jamal, Director General, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy during a press conference at the venue yesterday.
“We would like to advise fans to reach the stadium early. It's an 80,000 capacity venue and good numbers will be attending the Lusail Super Cup,” he added.
Any meeting between Saudi Arabia and Egypt sides generates a lot of interest among fans and the iconic Qatar 2022 venue has made the clash, which is the fourth version of the Saudi-Egyptian Super Cup after 2001, 2003 and 2018 editions, more exciting.
Al Hilal, who were defeated by another Egyptian side Al Ahly at the FIFA Club World Cup earlier this year, are hoping for a win under Argentine Ramon Diaz, who replaced Leonardo Jardim after that loss.
Under Diaz, Al Hilal have won 12 out of the last 13 games to retain the Saudi Professional League title for the third consecutive time.
The Blues coach was happy to see his team play at the World Cup venue, saying taking the trophy home was his team's target.
“I am very happy with the preparations taking place here. And Qatar is a country with great experience in organising sporting events and I am sure it will organise a wonderful World Cup,” Diaz said on the eve of the match.
“I am looking forward to playing against such a big team in a big game and we want to take the trophy home,” he added.
Zamalek, who have won the Saudi-Egyptian Super Cup twice, sealed their 14th Egyptian Premier League title last month. The five-time African champions recently signed Moroccan midfielder Zakaria El Wardi and Senegalese winger Ibrahima Ndiaye.
For Zamalek coach Jesualdo Ferreira, state-of-the-art stadiums in Qatar are not new.
“I am happy to be back in Qatar again after years of working here,” Ferreira, who coached QSL giants Al Sadd from 2015 to 2019, said.
“It is a great honour for me and my team to be in such a big event as the opening of Lusail World Cup Stadium. I have been at the opening of Khalifa International Stadium and Al Janoub Stadium. And now it will be my privilege to witness the opening of the largest World Cup stadium in Qatar,” added the Portuguese.
The Lusail Super Cup will be preceded by a concert from Egyptian superstar Amr Diab.
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