Al-Sailiya team booked its seat in the semi-finals of the fifty-first edition of the Amir Cup Football Championship, after defeating Al-Duhail, the defending champions, by penalty kicks 5/4, after a tie with two goals each in the confrontation that took place today at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in the quarter-final round of the competition.
Although Al-Sailiya was close to ending the regular time in his favor with two goals to one, after he managed to score through the Iranian Mehrdad Mohammadi from the penalty mark and the Swedish Sergio Carlos in the 18th and 69th minutes, Al-Duhail equalized the result with goals from Muhammad Muntari and the Korean Nam Tae He.
Al-Sailiya reached the semi-finals for the second time in its history, after it managed to reach the same round in the 2013 edition, when it played the final against Al-Sadd. Al-Duhail dominated most of the match and was able to control the midfield and take possession of the ball clearly, but the offensive effectiveness was lacking in the final touch, and the Argentine coach Hernan Crespo’s team resorted to relying on individual solutions through the incursions of South Korean Nam Tae-hee, who tried to shoot from outside the area. On more than one occasion, in addition to the crosses that were removed from the Al-Sailiya defense, which excelled the conglomerate in the back. On the other hand, Al-Sailiya played with a distinguished defensive organization during the course of the first half, and was able to impose control on the opponent’s playing keys and resort to quick counterattacks that worried Al-Duhail’s defense and excelled in the rapid transition from defense to attack, relying on the start of former Royal Moroccan Army player Ismail Khafi. Al-Sailiya surprised his opponent early by winning a penalty kick, which Iranian Mehrdad Mohammadi translated into the net in the 18th minute, giving his team the lead. Al-Duhail was able to arrange its ranks in the middle and faced great difficulties in penetrating Al-Sailiya’s defense, but South Korean Nam Tae-He managed to adjust the score with a shot from the outskirts of the penalty area that hit the net in the 31st minute.
He was almost top scorer "QNB Stars League " Kenyan Michael Olonga put Al Duhail in the lead in the 40th minute, but the left post of Al Sailiya goalkeeper Claude Amin stood as an impenetrable block, so the first half ended in a tie with a goal for each of them.
In the second half, it was clear that the scenario would not change in light of Al-Sailiya’s continued defensive reservations, and its reliance on quick rebounds, which he almost exploited by scoring the second goal by Moroccan Ismail Javi, but Al-Duhail defense led by Portuguese Ruben Simedo was present on more than one occasion. Al-Sailiya coach Mirghani Al-Zein tried to rely on new options by introducing the trio Saad Al-Sawan, Abdullah Mahmoud and veteran Magdi Siddik, before then pushing former Belgian club Brugge striker Sergio Carlos. For his part, Argentine Hernan Crespo, Al Duhail coach, preferred to make some changes in the middle, so he included Qatari striker Muhammad Muntari in place of Khaled Muhammad Saleh, with the aim of increasing the offensive effectiveness and putting pressure on the opponent’s defense in the last third of his stadium.
Kenyan Michael Olonga sent a wonderful header, but Al Sailiya goalkeeper Claude Amin flew the ball and with great skill turned it into a corner kick in the 65th minute. Amidst Al Duhail’s preoccupation with breaking the tie, the Swedish substitute striker, several minutes after his participation, managed to put Al Sailiya in front with the second goal with a wonderful header. She deceived Al Duhail goalkeeper Shehab Al-Laithi in the 69th minute.
Coach Crespo had no choice but to make more options, so he reinforced the midfield with Karim Boudiaf in the place of Tunisian Ferjani Sassi, and substitute Mohamed Muntari almost brought his team back to the equalizer point, but he knocked the ball over the crossbar, so that the same player returned and gave Al Duhail the equalizer in the fifth minute of stoppage time with a header. Taking advantage of the raised ball prepared by his colleague Ismail Mohamed, the original time ended in a draw with two goals for each of them, and resorted to penalty kicks, which smiled in favor of Al Sailiya with a result (5/4). Al Duhail had reached this role after defeating Al Kharaitiyat "second degree" With a clean goal, while Al Sailiya beat Al Rayyan with two goals to one in the final price round.
Read the latest world news on The Eastern Herald .
