Alkass Digital
Defending champions Al Duhail will take on Al Kharaitiyat as the 51st edition of the prestigious Amir Cup gets underway with two Round of 16 matches scheduled on the opening day.
The knockout competition dubbed the most popular football tournament of the country brings together a total of 16 first and second Division clubs.
Al Duhail, who defeated Al Gharafa in last year’s final, will start their title defence at Thani Bin Jassim Stadium today.
The Red Knights, who are leading the QNB Stars League (QSL), also took part in the AFC Champions League matches recently but coach Hernan Crespo said busy schedule will not affect his team’s resolve to retain the coveted title.
“We are facing the pressure of playing too many matches but our goal is to continue competing for all titles,” the Argentine coach told a pre-match press conference yesterday.
“We respect Al Kharaitiyat and we will give our best in the match as Amir Cup games are always different and teams cannot afford to make mistakes,” he added.
After a 7-0 defeat to Al Hilal in the AFC Champions League semi-final last week, Al Duhail bounced back to beat Al Arabi in the QSL with goalkeeper Shehab El Laithi saying the team was targeting the Amir Cup title to make fans happy.
“Our team has turned the page on the AFC Champions League with win over Al Arabi in the league, and our focus is now on the Amir Cup game. We know the capabilities of Kharaitiyat and we will deal with it, working as a team,” he said.
While Al Duhail will be hot favourites to win the match, second Division side Al Kharaitiyat was hoping for an upset victory.
“Playing in the Amir Cup is an honour for everyone. Surprises can happen in Cup games, and we are playing with the aim of winning,” Al Kharaitiyat coach Yasser Al Sibai said yesterday.
Al Kharaitiyat player Mohammed Salam, said: “We are aiming to perform well against Al Duhail and there is no pressure on us. Participating in the Amir Cup is an honour for any player and we want to represent our club well in this prestigious tournament.”
In the opening match today, QSL side Umm Salal will look to advance in last 8 with a victory over Al Khor at Hamad Bin Khalifa Stadium.
“We have an important game ahead of us and we are looking to win and advance to the next round. Al Khor have nothing to lose and we will respect our opponents regardless of which division they play in,” Umm Salal coach Talal El Karkouri told a press conference.
Umm Salal player Joao Teixeira said: “The league is a completely different competition from the Amir Cup. We will give our best to reach the next round. The game against Al Khor is very important and we are looking forward to a victory.”
Al Khor coach Hicham Jadrane said Umm Salal would be a tough challenge but hoped for a positive result in the game.
“The Amir Cup tournament is a beloved tournament and it’s important for all of us. Playing Umm Salal will not be easy. Our aim is to bring Al Khor back to where it deserves to be and the Amir Cup is a great opportunity for that,” he said.
Al Khor player Naif Al Buraiki said reaching the quarter-finals will be his team’s target in the game.
“This is a prestigious tournament that carries the name of H H the Amir. We are aiming to reach the last 8 in the Amir Cup. We are excited to face the first division clubs once again and we hope to prove our worth,” he said.