Doha, Qatar: Yacine Brahimi scored a brilliant hat-trick as Al Gharafa defeated Al Sadd 4-1 at Khalifa International Stadium in front of a crowd of 37,823 to retain the prestigious Amir Cup title yesterday.
Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani crowned Al Gharafa the champions.
On a night carrying huge stakes, Roberto Mancini’s Al Sadd arrived chasing a record-extending 20th Amir Cup crown and a domestic double after winning the Qatar Stars League. But Pedro Martins’ Al Gharafa had other ideas, delivering a disciplined, compact and clinical display to successfully defend their title.
With the victory, Al Gharafa claimed their ninth Amir Cup title including five under their former name Al Ittihad, and secured qualification for the AFC Champions League Elite. For Al Sadd, who never truly settled into rhythm and looked below their best on the big night, the defeat ended their hopes of a double.
“Winning back-to-back Amir Cup titles is not an easy job. It’s an amazing job Al Gharafa have done. I am proud of my team. We give this gift for our fans, it’s very important, they deserve it.”
Brahimi, who once again rose to the occasion, echoed the satisfaction after leading his side to glory.
“We struggled in the second half of the season, but the team showed strong mentality to come back and win,” he said.
“It was a tough match against a very good side, so we are delighted to retain the Amir Cup for a second straight year. We know our fans were disappointed after missing out on the league title, so it was important for us to give them something to celebrate. The Amir Cup is the biggest trophy in Qatar, and we are very happy to win it again.”
The foundation of the victory was built on organisation and patience. Early on, Al Sadd tried to assert themselves through Akram Afif, who was heavily involved in attacking moves, but repeated stoppages disrupted the tempo and Al Gharafa’s defensive structure held firm throughout the opening exchanges.
Afif continued to probe between the lines, but Martins’ side refused to be stretched, matching Al Sadd’s intensity and slowly growing into the contest.
Even as Al Sadd searched for control, Al Gharafa’s belief was already clear.
Al Gharafa broke the deadlock in the 21st minute. Fabricio Diaz had earlier tested the waters with a shot narrowly wide, but Al Gharafa struck when Ahmed Al Ganehi showed remarkable composure under pressure, controlling the ball while surrounded by multiple defenders before releasing Ferjani Sassi, who finished clinically from the centre of the box.
Three minutes later, Al Gharafa doubled their advantage. A slick exchange between Sassi and Brahimi unlocked Al Sadd again, with the Tunisian midfielder delivering the final pass for the Algerian playmaker to slot calmly into the bottom-right corner.
Al Sadd attempted to respond, with Hassan Al Haydos going close from distance, but the shot sailed over as frustration grew for Mancini’s side. Al Gharafa nearly added a third before half-time, but Aron Gunnarsson’s effort drifted wide after a flowing move, leaving
Al Sadd two goals down at the break.
The second half began with urgency from Al Sadd, with Claudinho testing from range, but Al Gharafa’s structure remained unbroken.
As Al Sadd pushed forward, they were punished again. Gunnarsson intercepted and released Brahimi, who sprinted from halfway before finishing calmly past Meshaal Barsham in the 63rd minute to make it 3-0.
Roberto Firmino was introduced as Al Sadd searched for a response, while goalkeeper Khalifa Ababacar once again stood tall, producing a crucial save to deny Pedro Miguel and preserve Al Gharafa’s commanding lead.
Al Sadd pulled one back late through substitute Javairo Dilrosun in the 88th minute, briefly raising hopes of a comeback.
But Brahimi had the final word. In first minute of stoppage time, Amro Surag’s long ball found the Algerian, who finished with trademark composure into the far corner to complete his hat-trick and spark celebrations among Al Gharafa players and supporters.
After finishing fourth in the league, Al Gharafa ended their campaign on a high lifting the trophy once again.
“It was a tough season and we are so happy to end our campaign with the Amir Cup in our hands,” Sassi said.
