Rangers players and officials celebrate after defeating Roma in the final of the Al Kass Cup at Aspire Zone in Doha, yesterday.
Doha: Rangers defeated Roma in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out to win Al Kass Cup following a wonderful game that featured two goals, two red cards, and countless moments of high drama.
Yesterday at the Aspire Academy training pitch, the teams were locked one-all at the end of full time play.
The Glaswegians came into the final as the tournament’s top scorers, having plundered 16 goals in four matches en route to the final. Roma had won all of their games - albeit with the aid of a penalty shootout in the semi-final against Aspire – scoring 12 goals in the process.
Both sides contained an abundance of talent. Up front for Rangers, Nathan Young-Coombes combined great physicality with a keen eye for goal, while in midfield skipper Kai Kennedy was the fulcrum around which much of the Glasgow team’s play revolved.
Roma’s Edoardo Bove had demonstrated his sharp attacking instincts, while left-winger Mory Bamba had been unplayable at times, particularly against Aspire.
Additionally, both finalists had shown remarkable defensive resilience throughout the competition, with goalkeepers Jay Hogarth and Pietro Boer performing superbly for Rangers and Roma respectively.
With 20 minutes gone, Roma won three corners in quick succession, each of which were successfully repelled, but demonstrated that the Italians were turning up the temperature, and soon after they were ahead.
Cancellieri advanced down the right and Roma’s attackers flooded the opposition area. Bamba climbed high at the far post to direct a firm header past Hogarth, sending the Italian fans wild.
In the 59th minute, out of nowhere, the Scots levelled.
Young-Coombes displayed superb footwork as he advanced down the right before cutting the ball back to Ciaran Dickson, who produced an astonishing strike from a narrow angle that drew gasps of disbelief from the packed crowd at Aspire Zone.
Both sides continued to display a commendable commitment to attacking football, and Kennedy went close following a great run through the middle, demonstrating that Rangers were still very much in the tie, despite the loss of their talismanic striker.
And, with a minute remaining, the Scots very nearly pinched it, when an unmarked O’Connor popped up six yards out and looked certain to score, only for his header to strike the crossbar.
A penalty shoot-out loomed, but even then the teams couldn’t be separated, with all 10 players from each side – including the goalkeepers – taking spot kicks. Finally, with the penalty tally at 8-8, Hogarth made the decisive save, leaving Rangers’ captain Kennedy to step up and coolly put away the winning penalty.
Earlier, Kashiwa Reysol claimed third place of the tournament with a 2-1 victory over Aspire Academy, in a game that provided a richly entertaining prelude to the final.
Kashiwa were ahead. There seemed little danger when Naito Saito sent an innocuous-looking free kick into the area, but somehow the ball evaded everyone – including the despairing Aspire keeper – and crept in.
As the game entered its final third, Aspire levelled in stunning fashion. Centre back Bin Sabaa started the move by stealing the ball in the centre circle before striding purposefully forward and supplying Jassim Al Najjar wide on the left, who beat several players as he cut in and smashed an unstoppable drive high into the net.
The game appeared to be heading towards a penalty shootout until, with six minutes remaining, Maie raced onto a loose ball and advanced into the area before calmly clipping over Balideh to provoke scenes of jubilation on the Reysol bench.
