The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: Sparks are bound to fly when arch-rivals Al Duhail and Al Arabi meet in the highly-anticipated Amir Cup final with both teams looking to secure a fourth title in the history of the prestigious handball tournament today.
The title clash at Al Duhail Main Hall this evening, promises to be a thriller, with both teams having already met in the Qatar Cup final five days ago.
Defending champions Al Arabi SC are looking to retain their title after narrowly defeating Al Rayyan (38-37) in last year’s final, and they look to be in promising form ahead of today’s clash.
The Dream Team showcased their strengths and tactical prowess in Tuesday’s semi-final by defeating Al Wakrah 28-26 in a closely contested match, having overpowered Qatar SC with a dominant 33-25 win in the quarter-finals.
In contrast, Al Duhail SC, will be looking to avenge their Qatar Cup final defeat. Also in their minds will be last year’s Amir Cup, where they were eliminated by the eventual champions Al Arabi in the quarter-finals. This year, Al Duhail secured their place in the final by overcoming last year’s runners-up and the League champions Al Rayyan with a 29-26 scoreline. On their way to the semi-final, they edged past Al Ghatafa with a 37-35 win.
When the two teams met in the 2021-2022 Amir Cup final, it was Al Duhail who clinched the title with a 33-27 win. However, Al Arabi got the better of Al Duhail in the Qatar Cup final on Sunday night, securing a dramatic 35-34 victory in a nail-biting shootout.
Al Duhail won the Amir Cup title in 2017, 2020, and 2022, while Al Arabi emerged victorious in the 2019, 2021, and 2023 editions. Their equal title record in the tournament makes today’s final a one to watch.
Al Sadd hold the record for most Amir Cup titles, having won the prestigious accolade eight times. They are followed by Al Ahly with five titles, Al Rayyan and Al Jaish with four titles each, Al Duhail and Al Arabi with three each, and Al Wakrah with one.