Al Sadd, Al Gharafa seal Amir Cup quarter-final places
Tribune News Network
Doha
Defending champions Al Sadd rallied from an early deficit to claim a convincing 3-1 victory over second-division side Al Kharaitiyat in the Round of 16 clash of the Amir Cup at Al Thumama on Tuesday. The win secures Sadd a place in the quarter-finals, where they will face Al Gharafa, who advanced after eliminating Al Khor.
Kharaitiyat stunned the reigning champions early when Sulaiman An opened the scoring in the 13th minute. However, Sadd responded through Giovanni Henrique, who netted the equaliser in the 23rd minute to restore parity before the break.
In the second half, Sadd took control. Spanish forward Rafael Mujica gave them the lead in the 54th minute, and just two minutes later, Giovanni bagged his second of the night to put the result beyond doubt. Akram Afif delivered a standout performance, providing two key assists and tormenting the Al Kharaitiyat defence throughout.
Al Gharafa edge Al Khor
Earlier, Al Gharafa sealed their place in the quarters with a 2-1 win over Al Khor at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium. The Cheetahs took the lead through Spanish striker Joselu in the 20th minute after a precise cross from Rodrigo Mourinho found him inside the box. Joselu made no mistake, slotting the ball into the net to give Al-Gharafa a deserved advantage following early pressure.
Despite dominating possession and creating several chances, Gharafa were unable to extend their lead before halftime. Al Khor nearly equalised in the 35th minute when Sofiane Hanni's curling effort went narrowly wide.
Al Khor continued their pursuit of an equaliser after the break, with Ricardo Gomez firing just wide in the 52nd minute. But it was Gharafa who struck again. In the 63rd minute, Yacine Brahimi delivered a pinpoint cross into the area, which Ahmed al-Janahi finished clinically to double the lead.
Al Khor responded with a wave of attacks and managed to pull one back in the 75th minute. Abdulaziz Hazaa fired a powerful strike from the edge of the area that beat goalkeeper Claude Amin, making it 2-1 and setting up a tense final 15 minutes. Gharafa, however, held firm to secure the victory and will now face Al Sadd in the quarters.
Following the match, Iceland midfielder Aron Gunnarsson was pleased with the result, saying: 'The match wasn't as easy as we expected. Al Khor kept pushing until the end. We gave everything to win and advance, and we're determined to fight for the title and make our fans proud.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Qatar Tribune
14 hours ago
- Qatar Tribune
Alcaraz reveals top form as he regains Queen's crown
PA Media/DPA London Carlos Alcaraz looks in top form for Wimbledon after regaining his crown as the King of Queen's by beating Jiri Lehecka in an absorbing final on Sunday. The Spanish top seed replicated his debut triumph on the grass courts of west London in 2023 with a 7-5, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2 victory. It was an 18th-straight win for Alcaraz - in his fifth consecutive final - following his title successes in Rome and at the French Open. World number 30 Lehecka had knocked out home hope Jack Draper on Saturday to become the first Czech finalist since Ivan Lendl won the Queen's title in 1990. The 23-year-old played his part in a high-quality final with some huge serves and powerful groundstrokes, forcing the match to a decider via a tie-break. But Alcaraz, the defending Wimbledon champion, did not face a single break point and slammed down 18 aces on his way to a 21st career title. In a way, proving he will be the man to beat at the grass Wimbledon grand slam from June 30. 'It's really special, this trophy and this tournament. I'm happy to lift this trophy once again,' he said. 'Jiri, you had an incredible week and it's a nightmare to play against you. Great week, great job and keep it up for Wimbledon. 'It has been an incredible week. I came without expectations and just wanted to play good tennis and to get used to the grass.' Alcaraz got a first look at a break point at 2-2, but he barely saw a furious ace that snuffed it out. At 4-5 the 22-year-old was in a spot of bother, serving at 0-30, but with a quick squeeze of the accelerator he reeled off eight of the next 10 points to hold and then grab the crucial break. Alcaraz had dropped just 10 points on serve before the second-set tie-break but he suddenly dropped his guard, with an untimely double fault and a pair of Lehecka aces taking the match the distance. But Lehecka dipped in the third with Alcaraz breaking for 3-1, and before long a flashing forehand brought up two championship points, the world number two taking the first and roaring with delight at a second Queen's title.
Qatar Tribune
4 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
Alcaraz progresses at Queen's as Fearnley reaches first quarter-final
PAMedia/DPA London Jacob Fearnley dished out another French lesson as he reached a first career ATP Tour-level quarter-final at Queen's Club, while top seed Carlos Alcaraz also progressed. British number two Fearnley beat volatile qualifier Corentin Moutet 6-3 2-6 6-2 at the HSBC Championships. In doing so, Fearnley extended his remarkable, perfect record against French players to 17 wins from 17 matches. He said: 'I'm very happy to be in my first quarter-final, it's even better to do it here in the UK. It's really special for me, I've dreamed of these moments since I was a young boy. 'I tried to stick to my game plan and be aggressive. I did that better in the third set and the result speaks for itself.' Fearnley wrapped up a controlled first set with a double-ace finish, while madcap Moutet got a ticking-off from umpire Adel Nour for chucking his racket. However, the momentum shifted quickly when three double-faults from the home player gave Moutet an early break in the second. But Fearnley reset well in the decider, breaking Moutet with a backhand winner down the line, prompting the fiery 26-year-old to whack a ball high over the stands and earn a long-overdue warning from the chair. A diving backhand volley secured a double break and Fearnley kept his head as Moutet lost his - bickering with the umpire and the crowd - to wrap up victory in just over two hours. Fearnley will play a fellow 23-year-old, Czech world number 30 Jiri Lehecka, in the last eight. Top seed and 2023 winner Carlos Alcaraz escaped from being a break down in a deciding set to win an all-Spanish clash with Jaume Munar. The five-time grand slam champion, 22, squandered two match points in a second-set tie-break and then fell 4-2 behind in the third. But on the hottest day of the year, with temperatures hitting 32 degrees Celsius in west London, Alcaraz kept his cool to win 6-4 6-7 (7) 7-5 after three hours and 23 energy-sapping minutes. It was two hours shorter than his five-set French Open final win over Jannik Sinner earlier this month, and Alcaraz wrote on the TV camera lens: 'Were we on clay?' After a 15th straight win, the longest winning run of his career so far, a near-exhausted Alcaraz admitted: 'It was a really tough battle. 'He's a great competitor. I'm proud of how I played today. I struggled mentally and physically. Very proud and happy to give myself another chance to be in the quarter-final.'
Qatar Tribune
4 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
Mbappe admitted to hospital with acute gastroenteritis
PA Media/DPA London Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe has been admitted to hospital with 'acute gastroenteritis', the Spanish giants have revealed. The 26-year-old France international missed Wednesday night's 1-1 Club World Cup draw with Al Hilal through illness, with head coach Xabi Alonso revealing he had a fever. Now the club has confirmed the severity of the illness with the player undergoing tests in a bid to determine his treatment. A statement on Madrid's official website said: 'Our player Kylian Mbappe is suffering from an acute case of gastroenteritis and has been admitted to hospital in order to undergo a series of tests and follow the appropriate course of treatment.' Alonso's men are due to play their second Group H fixture against Mexican side CF Pachuca in Charlotte on Sunday. They sit second in their group after the opening round of fixtures, two points behind Red Bull Salzburg, who beat Pachuca 2-1 in Cincinnati during the early hours of Thursday morning. Depending on how Mbappe responds to treatment, he is likely to miss that game but could potentially return for Real's final group game against RB Salzburg on 26 June. Mbappe scored 43 goals in 56 games in all competitions for Real in his first season after joining on a free transfer from Paris St-Germain. This is Real's first competition under Xabi Alonso, who replaced Carlo Ancelotti as manager at the end of the La Liga season. Real won the Uefa Super Cup and Fifa Intercontinental Cup in Mbappe's first season in Spanish football.
