Al Sadd advanced to the Qatar Cup final with a dominant 3-0 victory over Al Ahli at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, maintaining momentum after clinching the Qatar Stars League title.
The match opened with strong pressure from both sides, but it was Al Sadd who capitalized first when Al Ahli defender Matej Mitrovic turned the ball into his own net in the 30th minute while attempting to clear a cross from Akram Afif. Tarek Salman and Rafa Mujica added two second-half goals in the 76th and 82nd minutes to seal the win.
Al Sadd will now face the winner of the second semi-final between Al Duhail and Al Gharafa, with the final set for May 10.
“We achieved a strong win over Al Ahli thanks to the hard work of the players and coaching staff. Now we’re one step away from another title,” said Tarek Salman, who scored the second goal. He added that the team’s focus will now shift to their upcoming AFC Champions League Elite quarter-final against Kawasaki in Jeddah on Sunday.
Al Ahli showed improvement from their previous 5-0 defeat to Al Sadd in the league. Jasem Mohamed Omer missed an early chance, and Driss Fettouhi came close with a free kick that hit the crossbar. Despite moments of promise, the team couldn’t convert pressure into goals.
Al Sadd responded with threats from Afif and Yusuf Abdurisag before the breakthrough came. Mitrovic’s second mistake of the match—a weak back pass intercepted by Salman—led to the second goal. Mujica added the third after Paulo Otavio set him up following a blocked shot from Afif.
Al Duhail, Al Gharafa prepare for semi-final clash
Al Duhail head coach Christophe Galtier stressed the importance of the Qatar Cup after finishing second in the league.
“Our goal is to win, qualify for the final, and lift the cup,” Galtier said. “After losing the league title, we must keep fighting for the remaining objectives this season.”
