Resilient Al Wakrah edge Al Sadd on penalties; Al Rayyan fight back to reach Qatar Cup final

Doha, Qatar: Al Wakrah yesterday edged out Al Sadd 5 4 in a penalty shootout after a 2 2 draw, while Al Rayyan rallied to beat Al Gharafa 2 1 followin...

Doha, Qatar: Al Wakrah yesterday edged out Al Sadd 5-4 in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw, while Al Rayyan rallied to beat Al Gharafa 2-1 following Achraf Bencharki’s heroics to set up a blockbuster Qatar Cup final.   

Under heavy downpour at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, goalkeeper Omair Al Sayed, who replaced Mohammed Al Bakri just before the penalty shootout, emerged as the hero for Al Wakrah after they overcame a two-goal deficit with Gelson Dala scoring a stunning equaliser in stoppage time of the first semi-final.

Al Sayed blocked Boaulem Khoukhi and Mohamed Waad’s hits for Al Sadd overshadowing Meshaal Barsham’s fine stop off Lucas Mendes in Al Wakrah’s first attempt. Omar Ali scored the winning penalty for the Blue Waves, who entered the Qatar Cup final for the first time in history.

Earlier, newly-crowned Expo Stars League champions Al Sadd seemed to be cruising into the final after Akram Afif – set up by Paulo Otavio – put them ahead in 12th minute, volleying in the opener from near the penalty spot.

They built a two-goal lead when Gonzalo Plata struck with a low left-footed drive into the far corner after a ball from Qatar U23 player Abdulla Alyazidi in 27th minute from the right flank. Al Sadd could have extended the lead eight minutes later but Al Bakri made a fabulous save from Otavio’s fine long-range shot.