Form team Al Gharafa edged out Al Rayyan 3-2 to become the first team to win the QSL Cup a second time after a dramatic final match yesterday at Suhaim bin Hamad Stadium.
Al Rayyan coach Michael Laudrup had made no secret of his unease at the prospect of facing Al Gharafa in the final, referring to the two defeats his team suffered against them in the Qatar Stars League last season.
And although the Lions put up a gallant show yesterday, scoring twice to storm back into contention after being down, they just couldn’t find that extra bit of resolve to put it across the Cheetahs.
Al Rayyan’s woes were compounded by the fact that their star player Rodrigo Tabata missed a late penalty. Had Al Gharafa goalkeeper Qasem Burhan not saved the shot, diving to his right, the match would have probably gone into extra time with the scores tied 3-3, allowing Al Rayyan another crack at the title.
With yesterday’s win, the Cheetahs thus repeated history, having also won the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2009-10. Al Sadd, Al Wakrah, erstwhile El Jaish and Qatar SC, in that order, were the other champions before the tournament was revived this season after a space of three seasons.
Captain Luis Jimenez (third minute), Amro Seraj (36th) and Ahmed Alaaeldin (64th) netted the Al Gharafa’s goals, while Abderrazaq Hamdallah (12th) and Mohamed Kassola (70th) were on target for Al Rayyan.
Al Gharafa were quick off the blocks, raiding the rival citadel in the third minute and scoring through captain Jimenez, who slammed the ball past goalkeeper Saoud al-Khater following an assist from Ahmed Alaaeldin.
Al Rayyan then slowly took control of the proceedings and were soon on level terms when prolific scorer Hamdallah found the target. The goal resulted from a free-kick taken by playmaker Rodrigo Tabata that came off the defensive wall. Tabata himself chipped the ball back for Hamdallah to score. Jimenez was again the star past half hour as he essayed a pass to the left wing for Alaaeldin to cross and Seraj was bang on target to help Al Gharafa regain the lead.
Referee Abdulla Ali Athba had to flash a yellow card to Al Rayyan’s Ahmed Abdel Maqsoud for a lunging foul on Al Gharafa’s Diogo Amado in the 40th and Hamdallah too got booked for questioning the decision.
Al Rayyan struggled when Tabata could not be his usual self and striker Sebastian Soria failed to make inroads into the rival territory.
On the other hand, Al Gharafa came up with a far better display, with the enterprising Alaaeldin, who hogged the limelight along with Jimenez, taking a lot of initiatives. Their defenders also stood firm.
Alaaeldin himself got on the score sheet after an hour and the goal; a long-range solo effort, had brilliance written all over it.
Al Rayyan coach Michael Laudrup, meanwhile, brought on Mohsine Moutaouali in place of Daniel Goumou and Aldoukali al-Baoure for Soria.
Kasola then reduced the margin by heading in a Tabata corner kick from the right. The game witnessed some dramatic scenes when Al Rayyan earned a penalty in the 79th after Seraj tripped Mohamed Alaaeldin inside the box. Tabata took the shot from the spot, but Qasim Burhan drew all his top-flight experience to block it. Tempers flared and three Al Gharafa players were booked as they continued their protests.
Qatar Football Association Vice-President Saoud Abdulaziz al-Mohannadi crowned the winners in the presence of Qatar Stars League CEO Hani Taleb Ballan.