Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: ACL Group D side Al Gharafa amended their poor league campaign by clinching Qatar’s Emir's Cup after beating reigning ACL champions Al Sadd 4-3 in penalty shootouts.
With one club getting a berth in the ACL 2013 thorough cup honors, Al Gharafa who finished the league in meager sixth position, amended the domestic slip and ensured continental football for next season. In contrast, losing out to Al Gharafa in the cup final and ending fourth position in the table, ambitious Al Sadd have to wait for one more year to be back into continental actions.
The match failed to produce any goal and was decided by penalty shootouts where Al Sadd duo Nadir Belhadj and Hasan Al Haydos failed to convert their spot-kicks. Gharafa’s Lawrence Quaye missed one but Fuhaid Al Shammeri converted the last kick to give Gharafa’s their seventh Emir Cup title.
After the grueling weekend contest, Al Gharafa have one more big tie coming against Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal. To make it into the knockout stages of the ACL, Al Gharafa have to upset the group leaders on road and at the same time hope inconsistent Piroozi falter in UAE against rock-bottom Al Shabab.