The Peninsula
Santi Cazorla and Baghdad Bounedjah scored a brace apiece as Al Sadd cruised into the Amir Cup final thrashing Al Shahania 5-1 in the first semi-final at Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium on Monday.
Goals from Cazorla and Ayoub El Kaabi in the first half had put Al Sadd in command of the match with Bounedjah scoring a late double to seal a dominant victory and surpass the incredible tally of 200 goals in Al Sadd colours.
“I am very happy to reach the 200-goal milestone in this important match. This victory is a result of team effort and now we are looking forward to lift the Amir Cup,” Bounedjah said after the match.
Al Shahania’s only goal of the match was scored by Birahim Gaye in the second half. They didn’t look the side that shocked Al Wakrah and Al Gharafa on their way to the semi-finals as Al Sadd remained in complete control against the Second Division side.
Looking for a record-extending 19th Amir Cup crown, Al Sadd will meet the winners of second semi-final between Al Arabi and Al Sailiya set to kick off at the same venue at 6:45pm on Tuesday. The final of the prestigious tournament will take place on May 12 at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.
“It was a special performance from the players. They dominated the match and didn’t commit many mistakes,” said Al Sadd coach Juan Manuel Lillo.
“We became a little complacent after the third goal and conceded a goal but overall we were outstanding. It is a special moment for me to reach the Amir Cup final and now we will do our best to win the tournament,” he added.
“We respect all teams and any side which will qualify for the final would be tough and we will have to work hard to achieve our goal,” said Lillo when asked about which team he would like to face in the title clash.
On Monday, Al Sadd – seeking their first trophy of the season – dominated right from the word go leaving no room for Al Shahania to cause another upset in the tournament.
By the first quarter of an hour, Al Sadd had already made several threatening attempts and were paid for their attacking display with a penalty after Al Shahania’s Mostafa Jalal brought down Akram Afif while trying to block a pass inside the box.
After VAR confirmed the foul, Cazorla comfortably put the ball past Al Shahania goalkeeper Bautista Burke to put Al Sadd ahead in the 18th minute.
El Kaabi, who twice came close to scoring after the start, doubled Al Sadd advantage with a fabulous goal eight minutes later, making a full stretch to volley a rising ball from Cazorla from near the penalty spot.
Cazorla made it 3-0 in the 32nd minute tapping the ball in from a close range after an assist from Rodrigo Tabata.
In a rare attempt from Al Shahania, Gaye made an impressive solo effort just before the breather but his hit from a distance after he cleared a couple of defenders was blocked well by goalkeeper Saad Al Sheeb by diving to his left.
Gaye, however, succeeded in his next attempt after the game resumed putting the ball past Al Sheeb in the 50th minute.
But Al Sadd remained on the driving seat and Afif squandered a good opportunity following a corner kick after 72 minutes as his shot was too high after receiving a ball from Cazorla.
Bounedjah scored his first goal of the match and overall 200th for the Wolves with an angular shot in the right corner two minutes before time, ending all hopes of Al Shahania’s comeback in the semi-final.
The Algerian striker then wrapped up an emphatic victory by scoring from a close range in fourth minute of stoppage time.
Al Sailiya confident ahead of Al Arabi semi-final
Meanwhile, Al Sailiya were brimming with confidence as they prepared to meet Al Arabi for a place in the coveted final.
Al Sailiya may have been struggling in the QSL languishing at the bottom of the points table, they have been phenomenal at the Amir Cup, shocking favourites Al Duhail in the quarter-final after beating Al Rayyan in the Round of 16.
“This tournament holds a special place in our hearts and we are geared up for our upcoming match. Our ultimate goal is to reach the podium,” Al Sailiya coach Mirghani Al Zain said prior to the match.
“Our morale received a significant boost after the Al Duhail match. While both teams have equal chance of winning, we are more determined to emerge victorious against Al Arabi,” he added.
Al Arabi coach Younes Ali said his team was ready for the semi-final, expecting a difficult game against the Peregrines.
“We anticipate a tough challenge against Al Sailiya but our goal is to clinch a spot in the final. Our team is fully committed to winning both titles (QSL and Amir Cup) were are competing for but our focus now is semi-final against Al Sailiya,” he said.
Al Arabi are second in the QSL standings, two points behind leaders Al Duhail with three matches left.