Al Gharafa Edge Al Rayyan In Thriller To Clinch Amir Cup

Doha: Ten-man Al Gharafa edged Al Rayyan 2-1 in a high-octane Amir Cup final to lift their eighth title at Khalifa International Stadium on Saturday.

First-half goals from Ferjani Sassi and Joselu gave Pedro Martins' side a commanding lead before Roger Guedes pulled one back for Al Rayyan from the spot early in the second half.

Despite going down to 10 men, Al Gharafa held their ground in front of a vibrant crowd of 38,149 spectators, sealing their first Amir Cup triumph since 2012.

Al Gharafa got off to a flying start, striking in just the fourth minute. Ferjani Sassi opened the scoring after Yacine Brahimi caught Al Rayyan off guard with a quick free kick. Ahmed Al Ganehi picked out Sassi inside the box, and the Tunisian made no mistake, firing into the roof of the net from close range.

They doubled their advantage in the 18th minute. After Amro Surag's low effort from the right – set up by Sassi – was deflected by a defender, Joselu showed quick reactions and composure. He met the spinning ball at the near post and expertly headed home from a tight angle, giving goalkeeper Samy Beldi no chance.

Al Rayyan found a lifeline five minutes into the second half. Goalkeeper Khalifa Ababacar was penalised for fouling Andre Amaro while trying to clear a long ball. The resulting penalty gave Roger Guedes – Al Rayyan's leading scorer this season – the opportunity to pull one back. His strike to the left corner took a slight touch off Ababacar's fingertips but had enough power to beat the keeper.

Just as Al Rayyan looked to press for an equaliser, Al Gharafa were reduced to ten men in the 64th minute. Seydou Sano was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Guedes near the halfway line – a decision that was met with protest from the Gharafa bench, with many feeling it was harsh.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Al Gharafa maintained their defensive shape with discipline. Al Rayyan pushed forward in waves but were repeatedly denied by a composed Gharafa backline and crucial interventions from Ababacar.

The final whistle sparked celebrations for Al Gharafa, who lifted the Amir Cup for the first time in over a decade, ending a 13-year wait and underlining a strong campaign under Portuguese manager Pedro Martins.

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