Tribune News Network
Doha
Al Rayyan and Al Gharafa booked their places in the semi-finals of the 2020-21 Ooredoo Cup on Monday.
While Al Rayyan edged Al Khor 1-0 in the fourth quarter-final at the Al Arabi Stadium,
Al Gharafa defeated Al Sadd 4-2 at the Qatar SC Stadium.
For Al Rayyan, Abdulrahman Al Harazi scored the all-important goal in the 43rd minute.
Both teams fielded almost full-strength squads, as they did previously in the tournament, and the seriousness reflected on the pitch as they played a charging game from the onset.
It was end-to-end attack and counter-attack, and both sides had chances galore.
Al Rayyan’s Ahmed Abdelmaqsoud came up with a thumping shot off a corner kick in the 17th minute and it went inches wide.
At the other end, Al Khor’s Leonardo De Souza had his header go wide of the target a couple of minutes later.
Leonardo was in the thick of action the very next minute as he almost scored with a chip shot over the head of goalkeeper Saoud Al Hajri, who had left his charge, and Dami Traore had to effect a goalline save to avert danger.
Al Rayyan’s Mowafak Awad hit one over the bar and Ibrahim Masoud’s shot was parried by Al Khor goalkeeper Baba Djibril.
Then came the goal, with the move originating from Ahmed Abdelmaqsoud and Ibrahim Masoud setting up Al Harazi, who brilliantly made his way into the box and put the ball into the left corner of the net.
In the second half, A Khor pressed hard for an equaliser, with Ioannis Fetfatzidid pulling strings from the midfield, but could not make a breakthrough. Al Rayyan were the more organised side and they progressed to the semi-final.
Late strikes power
Al Gharafa
Two late goals powered Al Gharafa to a 4-2 win over Al Sadd in the third quarter-final.
Sofiane Hanni (27th and 83rd minute-penalty), Koo Ja-Cheol (48th minute) and Othman Al Yahri (86th minute) were the goal heroes of
Al Gharafa.
Rodrigo Tabata (52nd minute) and Santiago Cazorla (73rd-minute penalty) helped reigning champions Al Sadd recover from a 0-2 deficit, but late strikes from Hanni and Al Yahri helped Al Gharafa to a commanding win.
In the seventh minute, Al Gharafa’s Hanni received a neat low cross from skipper Abdulghani Muneer just a few metres away from the Al Sadd box. Despite being chased by two defenders, Hanni hoodwinked goalkeeper Jehad Mohammed with a neat left-footed tap that narrowly missed the far goalpost with nobody on the goal-line.
Two minutes later, Muneer produced a header on a long cross from the flank, but his shot was pouched by the goalkeeper.
In the 19th minute, Talal Abdulla of Al Sadd was shown the red card for a front-on tackle on Abdollah Ali. Referee Moatasem Al Mazyed reviewed the foul on VAR and then decided to send Abdulla off the field as Al Sadd players remonstrated on the decision.
Al Gharafa grabbed the lead when Hanni, after a long cross from the centerline, ran for a few metres before calmly slotting the ball between the goalkeeper’s legs.
Three minutes into the second half, Al Gharafa jumped to a 2-0 lead. Yousef Muftah chipped in with a cross from the right flank and Koo easily tapped the ball into the net.
Before long, Tabata headed home a long cross from Saoud Ibrahim as Al Sadd finally managed to get a goal.
Al Sadd equalised through Cazorla who scored off a penalty. Muftah brought down Tabata inside the box and the referee pointed to the spot kick.
Al Gharafa again surged ahead when Hanni scored off a penalty. Hossam Kamal brought down Othman in the Al Sadd box and the referee pointed to the spot kick that was easily converted by Hanni.
Othman then drilled one from close range for Al Gharafa’s fourth goal.
Doha
Al Rayyan and Al Gharafa booked their places in the semi-finals of the 2020-21 Ooredoo Cup on Monday.
While Al Rayyan edged Al Khor 1-0 in the fourth quarter-final at the Al Arabi Stadium,
Al Gharafa defeated Al Sadd 4-2 at the Qatar SC Stadium.
For Al Rayyan, Abdulrahman Al Harazi scored the all-important goal in the 43rd minute.
Both teams fielded almost full-strength squads, as they did previously in the tournament, and the seriousness reflected on the pitch as they played a charging game from the onset.
It was end-to-end attack and counter-attack, and both sides had chances galore.
Al Rayyan’s Ahmed Abdelmaqsoud came up with a thumping shot off a corner kick in the 17th minute and it went inches wide.
At the other end, Al Khor’s Leonardo De Souza had his header go wide of the target a couple of minutes later.
Leonardo was in the thick of action the very next minute as he almost scored with a chip shot over the head of goalkeeper Saoud Al Hajri, who had left his charge, and Dami Traore had to effect a goalline save to avert danger.
Al Rayyan’s Mowafak Awad hit one over the bar and Ibrahim Masoud’s shot was parried by Al Khor goalkeeper Baba Djibril.
Then came the goal, with the move originating from Ahmed Abdelmaqsoud and Ibrahim Masoud setting up Al Harazi, who brilliantly made his way into the box and put the ball into the left corner of the net.
In the second half, A Khor pressed hard for an equaliser, with Ioannis Fetfatzidid pulling strings from the midfield, but could not make a breakthrough. Al Rayyan were the more organised side and they progressed to the semi-final.
Late strikes power
Al Gharafa
Two late goals powered Al Gharafa to a 4-2 win over Al Sadd in the third quarter-final.
Sofiane Hanni (27th and 83rd minute-penalty), Koo Ja-Cheol (48th minute) and Othman Al Yahri (86th minute) were the goal heroes of
Al Gharafa.
Rodrigo Tabata (52nd minute) and Santiago Cazorla (73rd-minute penalty) helped reigning champions Al Sadd recover from a 0-2 deficit, but late strikes from Hanni and Al Yahri helped Al Gharafa to a commanding win.
In the seventh minute, Al Gharafa’s Hanni received a neat low cross from skipper Abdulghani Muneer just a few metres away from the Al Sadd box. Despite being chased by two defenders, Hanni hoodwinked goalkeeper Jehad Mohammed with a neat left-footed tap that narrowly missed the far goalpost with nobody on the goal-line.
Two minutes later, Muneer produced a header on a long cross from the flank, but his shot was pouched by the goalkeeper.
In the 19th minute, Talal Abdulla of Al Sadd was shown the red card for a front-on tackle on Abdollah Ali. Referee Moatasem Al Mazyed reviewed the foul on VAR and then decided to send Abdulla off the field as Al Sadd players remonstrated on the decision.
Al Gharafa grabbed the lead when Hanni, after a long cross from the centerline, ran for a few metres before calmly slotting the ball between the goalkeeper’s legs.
Three minutes into the second half, Al Gharafa jumped to a 2-0 lead. Yousef Muftah chipped in with a cross from the right flank and Koo easily tapped the ball into the net.
Before long, Tabata headed home a long cross from Saoud Ibrahim as Al Sadd finally managed to get a goal.
Al Sadd equalised through Cazorla who scored off a penalty. Muftah brought down Tabata inside the box and the referee pointed to the spot kick.
Al Gharafa again surged ahead when Hanni scored off a penalty. Hossam Kamal brought down Othman in the Al Sadd box and the referee pointed to the spot kick that was easily converted by Hanni.
Othman then drilled one from close range for Al Gharafa’s fourth goal.