Tribune News Network
Doha
Al Sadd defeated defending champions Al Sailiya 4-0 in the opening match of Group A of the 2022-2023 season Ooredoo Cup at the Al Ahli Stadium on Monday.
All of Al Sadd’s goals came in the second half with Hassan Ahmed (57th minute), Santi Cazorla (75th minute), Faisal Mohammed (89th minute), and Rodrigo Tabata (90+3 minute) getting the goals.
It was a resounding start for Al Sadd, who had first emerged as the champions when the tournament’s title name was changed from QSL Cup to Ooredoo Cup in the 2019-2020 season.
Al Sadd, however, had to work hard with many of their efforts in the first half failing to yield any result. Their stars Rodrigo Tabata and Santi Cazorla came close to scoring on at least four occasions with one Tabata free-kick (38th minute) being staved off by goalkeeper Abdraman Mahamat Aziz, who dived to his left.
In another chance, Cazorla’s left-footed curling kick from well outside the box hit the bottom of the left goal post in the 43rd minute.
Al Sailiya also came close to scoring in the added time of the first half but Ahmad Yasser Sebaie’s kick was well stopped by Al Sadd goalkeeper Jehad Mohammad Hudib.
The scenario soon changed as Al Sadd came out blazing in the second session with Hassan Ahmed breaking the deadlock. He struck after being provided with a fine pass by Ahmad Mohammed Alsaeed once inside the penalty area.
Cazorla then scored from a free-kick from near and left outside of the box which went past a three-man wall and through the goalkeeper’s legs.
Faisal Mohammed then added to the lead making good of a chance inside the danger zone.
Tabata’s efforts were also rewarded in the end as he ran in to collect a good pass to slam in from the left.
Qatar SC score exciting
3-1 win over Al Wakrah
Qatar SC scored an exciting 3-1 win over Al Wakrah in their Group A match of Ooredoo Cup 2022-2023 season played at the Hamad Bin Khalifa Stadium on Monday.
Underlining their prowess, Qatar SC gained three points from the positive result with the goals for them being scored by Javier Martinez (25th minute), Sebastian Soria (38th minute), and by Matheus Dos Santos (90th minute)
For Al Wakrah, the consolation goal came via a penalty kick taken by Ismail Mahmoud in the 73rd minute.
While luck eluded Al Wakrah, their rivals attacked from both the flanks and succeeded twice from superb corner kicks. The first was headed in by Martinez, who judged and jumped perfectly to lob the ball in to the top left corner of the net. The second was seemed like a repeat act, but this time Soria was well positioned to seize the chance and his header went in despite goalkeeper Mohamed Saeed Ibrahim punching the ball with his right hand.
The twin-blow was hot to handle but Al Wakrah did make big efforts to bounce back. They won a penalty and pulled one back but could not manage to get an equalizer.
Towards the end, Matheus Dos Santos scored the third goal for the winners after initiating the move himself. He passed the ball, ran into the ‘D” and was given a cross by substitute Youssef Mohamed Ali to do the rest.
Umm Salal prevail
over Al Ahli
In the third match of the day played at the Saoud bin Abdulrahman Stadium, Umm Salal scored through Nasser Al Naser (12’) and Ilyes Brimil (44’) to start their campaign on a winning note.
Al Ahli got one when Yousef Omar scored an own goal in 38th minute.
Umm Salal will now meet Qatar SC in their second group match on September 25.