Tribune News Network
Doha
Last year’s runners-up Umm Salal and title contenders Al Arabi set up summit clash for the 2023-2024 season Ooredoo Cup with contrasting wins in the semi-finals on Tuesday.
While Umm Salal beat Al Ahli 2-1 at the Grand Hamad Stadium, Al Arabi prevailed over Qatar SC 6-5 in a penalty shootout after being 2-2 at regulation time at the Hamad Bin Khalifa Stadium.
Ahmad Moein scored the winning goal for Al Arabi in the penalty shootout.
Substitute Ben Malango and Youssef Mohamed Ali missed from the spot for Qatar SC, while Abdulrahman Anad’s shot was the only one saved from Al Arabi’s side.
The match had finished 2-2 in regulation time, with Hilal Mohammed (44th minute) and Rafinha Alcantara (83rd minute) scoring for Al Arabi, while Qatar SC got their goals through Jassim Al Jalabi (69th minute) and Ali Malallah (80th minute), respectively.
With the first half seemingly heading to a goalless draw, Al Arabi’s Hilal Mohammed finally broke the deadlock in the 44th minute firing in home a left-footed banger.
Qatar SC got the equalizer through Al Jalabi, who took advantage of a poor clearance of Ali Awad’s cross by the Al Arabi defence to slide home a right-footed goal in the 69th minute.
Eleven minutes later, Qatar SC went ahead with Malallah heading home a Khaled Ahmed Mahmoudi cross.
The lead, however, lasted only two minutes as Alcantara restored parity for Al Arabi in the 83rd minute after finishing off a brilliant quick exchange between him and Ahmad Moein with a right-footed shot into the top left corner.
Earlier, Umm Salal scored twice in the second session of the match to beat Al Ahli.
While Victor Lekhal fetched the first off a header in the 57th minute, skipper Andy Delort scored the second goal in the 81st minute.
Both sides battled hard and the opening half ended on an even keel. It was also a session where Al Ahli survived a close call when in the 21st minute, a Kenji Gorre drive just missed the far right post.
In the 39th minute, The Brigadiers had luck to rue as Abdulrasheed Umaru’s kick went wide of the left post.
Another close chance for Al Ahli was in the 55th minute when Oumar Sekou was in a superb position in front of the goal but his kick was diverted by the outstretched left hand of Umm Salal goalkeeper Landing Badji.
Two minutes later, The Orange Fortress broke the deadlock following a corner kick which was superbly intercepted and headed in by the tall Victor Lekhal. A VAR check also ruled no off-side and the referee whistled for the goal.
Al Ahli made more efforts now to get the equalizer but their hopes were further dampened as Andy Delort latched on to a fine deflection of a cross by Khaled Mansour, who was in the centre of the box, for Delort to make a successful strike.
The win saw Umm Salal make their second successive final appearance at the Ooredoo Cup after having lost to Al Duhail in the final of the 2022-23 edition. On Saturday (Jan 6), The Orange Fortress will hope to bag the trophy when they meet Al Arabi in the final this time.