Al Sadd Edge Al Duhail In Shootout To Lift Fourth Qatar Cup Title

(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Al Sadd clinched their fourth Qatar Cup title - and their second trophy of the season - after edging arch-rivals Al Duhail 3–2 in a dramatic penalty shootout, following a 2–2 draw in regulation time at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium Saturday.
HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, presented the trophy to Al Sadd captain Hassan al-Haydos.
Goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham was the hero of the night, producing two crucial saves in the shootout -first diving to his left, then to his right. Al-Haydos, Akram Afif, Rafa Mujica, and Claudinho converted their spot kicks for Al Sadd, while Pedro Miguel missed. For Al Duhail, Almoez Ali, Edmilson Jr., and Benjamin Bourigeaud found the net, but Michael Olunga and Karim Boudiaf were denied by Barsham.
Al Duhail began the match on the front foot, putting Al Sadd under pressure with an aggressive start. Barsham made a vital save in the first half to keep the Wolves in the game. The Red Knights eventually broke the deadlock in the 49th minute, when Olunga headed home from a corner.
Al Sadd equalised in the 63rd minute after Pedro Miguel was brought down during a corner. Claudinho calmly converted the resulting penalty to make it 1–1. But just three minutes later, Al Duhail regained the lead through Bourigeaud, who timed his run perfectly to slot in a Bassem al-Rawi cross from the right.
In the 86th minute, Mujica rose high to head home a Claudinho lob from the left, drawing Al Sadd level once again. With no further goals in extra time, the contest went to penalties, where Al Sadd prevailed on home turf. This marks Al Sadd's fourth Qatar Cup triumph, having previously lifted the title in 2017, 2020, and 2021 Sanchez hails Al Sadd's spiritAl Sadd head coach Felix Sanchez praised his team's resilience and character after their hard-fought victory. "We played a strong match against a strong team," he said. "We were behind twice and came back. I think we deserved the title."
Sanchez lauded the intensity of the final and credited his players for their determination. "It was an enjoyable match for everyone. It went to penalties, and I'm really happy with the players, their performance, and their comeback."
He reserved special praise for Barsham, saying, "Barsham was a star. We said if it went to penalties, he would help us and he did. He did it with the national team, and now again with Al Sadd."
Barsham said:“I enjoy penalties. I stay optimistic and fearless,” he said.“It was a tough match - Al Duhail played really well.”
Veteran defender Boualem Khoukhi echoed his coach's sentiments: "It was a very tough match, but we deserved this title, especially in such a challenging season. We went behind twice against a strong Al Duhail side and still managed to win."
Looking ahead, Khoukhi turned his attention to the Amir's Cup. "It's the most difficult and most important tournament. All teams will give it everything," he said.

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