Al Kharaitiyat’s Abdul Hadi Amin celebrates with team-mates after scoring a goal against Al Rayyan during their QSL Cup quarter-final match, yesterday.
A brilliant double by Abdul Hadi Amin and a last minute goal from substitute Mohamed Razak powered Al Kharaitiyat to a stunning 3-2 win over 10-man Al Rayyan as they marched into the semi-finals of the QSL Cup yesterday.
At the Al Gharafa Stadium, Razak’s goal came after charismatic Al Rayyan striker Sebastian Soria had levelled the scores at two-all, as The Lions fought back after trailing by 0-2 at the half time break.
Amin struck twice (6th and 17th minutes) to give a comfortable lead for Al Kharaitiyat before Al Rayyan suffered a major setback in the 29th minute. Coach Gilson Simoes De Souza’s team was reduced to 10 men when their skipper and influential midfielder was sent off for unsporting behaviour.
When the play resumed, Al Rayyan took a more aggressive and organised approach. Al Rayyan, who finished first in Group B with 13 points, were the clear favourites but Al Kharaitiyat, who came fourth in Group A with six points, were not ready to give up so easily. Al Khraitiyat players were looking for a third goal to put more pressure on the 2017 finalists, but missed several attempts to score.
Soria gave Al Rayyan some hope in the 65th minute when he guided Ahmed Mohamed Ali’s cross into the net from close range. Soria’s equaliser came in the 82nd minute when he beat the Al Kharaitiyat goalkeeper Mustafa Abdul Kardeen inside the penalty box after receiving another cross from Brazilian Lucca Borges Brito.
For a moment, it looked like the game was heading towards extra time, but Razak’s late winner made sure coach Wesam Rizik Abdulmajid’s side advance into the semi-finals.
Later, at the same venue, Portuguese midfielder Diogo Amado scored the lone goal as two-time champions Al Gharafa defeated Al Ahli to book a berth in the semi-finals yesterday.
Amado placed himself perfectly to receive a corner kick and made no mistake when he headed it past the Al Ahli goalkeeper Ivanildo Rodriguesdos Santos in the 62nd minute as the ball bounced off the goal post and into the net.
The first half of the high-octane clash saw both teams defending to the best of their ability, as several attempts to break the deadlock were denied by goalkeepers on either side.
Al Gharafa had much more stronger approach when the second half began, as they were pushing hard to add one to their account before Amado’s successful header.
After that, both teams came close to scoring on few more occasions, including an attempt by Al Gharafa’s Othman Alawi Al Yahri who narrowly missed the goal post.
Al Ahli were desperately searching for an equaliser but it was Al Gharafa who got one more step closer to defending their QSL Cup title.
Today, at the Al Sadd Stadium, the hosts will take on Qatar SC, before Al Duhail meet Al Khor in the remaining quarter-final matches.
