Clinical Sadd sink Ahli to reach Qatar Cup final

Qatar Stars League champions Al Sadd continued to show fine form as they stormed into the final of Qatar Cup with a 3-0 win over Al Ahli at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Tuesday.In the semi-final, Al Sadd went ahead after an own goal from Ahli’s Matej Mitrovic in the 30th minute. Tarek Salman then doubled the lead in the 76th minute before Rafa Mujica put the game to bed in the 82nd minute. Akram Afif was instrumental in two of the three goals for his team.Al Ahli, looking to bounce back after their recent loss in the league to Al Sadd, made a braveheart start to the match but had more to rue, including luck, at times. Al Ahli could well have gone up the lead in the 26th minute but a powerful Driss Fettouhi free kick from the right went on to hit the crossbar and fall out.Minutes later, Al Sadd went on the prowl but an Afif cross from the left was hit just wide left by Claudinho. It didn’t matter as Afif came back again and this time sent in a rasping cross from the left but before the ball could reach an intended Giovani Henrique, it was intercepted by a sliding Mitrovic who drove the ball into his own net.Al Sadd having gained the lead looked for more but held on by Al Ahli for a long time. In the 67th minute, Afif slammed in a goal but was ruled offside as he broke off early.But Al Sadd kept charging on and were soon rewarded for their efforts. Salman doubled their lead and in super style after Fettouhi made a header and Al Ahli’s defence erred. Salman made a sprint to beat two defenders before going on to beat the lone goalkeeper Marwan Sherif.Al Sadd’s third goal was all the more entertaining as an Afif strike was staved off by Sherif but the ball went to Paulo Otavio, who rammed in a cross and Mujica left-heeled it in, shaking the net.Al Sadd now await the winner of Wednesday’s (April 23) semi-final between Al Duhail and Al Gharafa.Sadd defender Salman credited the win to the collective effort of the squad, saying: "We achieved a good victory over Al Ahli, through which we advanced to the final match to compete for another title. This win came thanks to great effort from the players and technical staff.”Looking ahead, Tariq emphasised the importance of shifting focus to continental duties, as Al Sadd prepare to face Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale in the AFC Champions League Elite quarter-finals in Jeddah.