Al-Sadd reached the final of the 2020 Amir Cup after a 4-1 win over Al-Duhail, in the semifinal clash which was played at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium on Saturday.
Al-Duhail opened the scoring in the 10th minute through Edmilson, before Al-Sadd responded with four goals in the second half, scored by Khoukhi Boualem (58′), Guilherme (64′), Baghdad Bounedjah (77′) and Rodrigo Tabata (88′).
The result saw Al-Sadd qualify for the title decider against Al-Arabi, in what will be the 26th Amir Cup final in the club’s history.
At the start of the game, it was Al-Duhail who threatened to score, with Ramin Rezaeian’s free-kick flying just wide of the post early on, and Sultan Al Braik’s shot hitting the side-netting moments later.
In the 10th minute, Al-Duhail took the lead. Edmilson scored with a strike from inside the box, after the Al-Sadd defence failed to clear the ball.
Al-Sadd then looked to respond to the opening goal, and managed to create a couple of chances. In the 25th minute, Santi Cazorla almost equalised, taking a powerful shot from outside the box only to see it go just wide.
Akram Afif went through on goal in the 29th minute, before being brought down by Karim Boudiaf. However, the referee waved play on. Khoukhi Boualem’s dipping shot from distance in the 39th minute looked to threaten the Al-Duhail goalkeeper Khalifa Abubakar, but missed the target and went out.
The first half thus ended with Al-Duhail leading by the lone goal.
The Wolves emerged in the second half with renewed desire, and looked to turn the scoreline around. Xavi Hernandez strengthened the attack in the 51st minute, when he sent on Baghdad Bounedjah to replace Yousuf Abdurisag.
Al-Duhail then thought they’d gone 2-0 up in the 54th minute, when Ramin converted a pass from Edmilson; however, the referee ruled the goal out after a VAR review, which showed that Edmilson had handled the ball before making the pass.
Al-Sadd duly went on to make a huge turnaorund in the space of a few minutes. In the 58th minute, Khoukhi Boualem equalised for Al-Sadd with a powerful header to finish off a cross from the right by Afif.
Afif was involved six minutes later too, setting up Guilherme with a squared ball, and the Brazilian made no mistake from close range to put Al-Sadd ahead for the first time.
Bounedjah then netted Al-Sadd’s third goal in the 77th minute, dribbling into the box and scoring with a low shot that went in past two Duhail defenders and their keeper.
In the 88th minute, substitute Rodrigo Tabata made it 4-1 with a shot from near the halfway line, with the goalkeeper Abubakar having advanced outside the penalty box.
Al Duhail would end the game with nine men, after Dudu and Ali Afif were sent off in stoppage time.
MATCH DETAILS
Al-Sadd x Al-Duhail (Amir Cup 2020 semifinal)
Venue:
Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium
Lineups:
Al-Sadd: Meshaal Barsham, Pedro Miguel (Musaab Khidir), Khoukhi Boualem, Jung Woo-young, Abdelkarim Hassan, Guilherme, Santi Cazorla, Nam Tae-hee (Mohammed Waad), Hassan Al-Haydos (Rodrigo Tabata), Yousuf Abdurisag (Baghdad Bounedjah), Akram Afif
Al-Duhail: Khalifa Abubakar, Medhi Benatia (Youssef Msakni), Ahmed Yasser, Edmilson (Abdulrahman Mohammed), Ramin Rezaeian, Karim Boudiaf, Sultan Al-Braik (Ali Afif), Abdullah Al-Ahrak (Luiz Mairton), Khaled Mohammed, Mohammad Muntari, Dudu
Result:
Al-Sadd won 4-1
Goals:
Edmilson 10′
Khoukhi Boualem 58′
Guilherme Torres 64′
Baghdad Bounedjah 77′
Rodrigo Tabata 88′
Bookings:
Pedro Miguel 27′
Santi Cazorla 48′
Baghdad Bounedjah 77′
Rodrigo Tabata 83′
Dudu 90+2′ (red card)
Luiz Mairton 90+3′
Ali Afif 90+5′ (red card)
Referees:
Abdulrahman Al Jassim (main referee)
Yousuf Al Shammari (assistant 1)
Khaled Ayed (assistant 2)
Mohammed Nasser (fourth official)
