Former Qatar Cup champions Lekhwiya will be looking to retain the prestigious Qatar Cup trophy. Djamel Belmadi’s side didn’t necessarily hit the heights domestically this season, and will be seeing the Qatar Cup tournament as a realistic way of picking up silverware this season.
The Red Knights started the QSL season impressively with three wins on the bounce, including an eye catching 7-0 thrashing of Al Kharitiyat in round 2. However the former QSL champions stuttered in the following five games only picking up one point from a possible fifteen including defeats to Al Arabi, Al Rayyan and a narrow 1-0 loss to Umm Salal which piled the pressure on Djamel Belmadi.
Lekhwiya rallied in late November to register eight straight wins in the QSL, putting the Red Knights firmly in the Qatar Cup places. Eye catching wins included a 4-2 win over rivals Al Sadd and a comprehensive 4-0 win over Al Gharafa. The winning streak lasted all the way to late Janaury, and gave Djamel Belmadi some breathing space.
Come the start of February AFC Champions League commitments meant that Lekhwiya’s league form dipped again. They only managed three points from a possible twelve; although that was a big 3-0 win over top 4 rivals El Jaish. The final defeat in February essentially halted their quest to regain the Falcon shield, with a 5-0 humbling at the hands of Al Rayyan.
Going into the final quarter of the season, Lekhwiya’s form suffered slightly picking up only two wins and a draw from the final 7 QSL games, this included three straight defeats to the likes of Al Sadd, Al Wakrah and a thrilling 5-4 loss to Al Ahli. With form being everything going into the Qatar Cup, it may seem that Lekhwiya may not have the best chance to regain the famous trophy.
That said, the majority of this squad have won everything domestically in Qatar, and only need to register two wins to hoist the famous Qatar Cup. Djamel Belmadi can call on a host of players who have plenty of experience of the big occasion.
No player will be more important for Belmadi than midfielder Nam Tae Hee. The South Korean international has grabbed ten league goals this season, his second highest tally since joining Lekhwiya in 2011. Whilst he also registered 10 assists for him teammates. Nam has started twenty five of twenty six games in the QSL, making him one of the first names of Djamel Belmadi’s team-sheet. Nam will have to be at his brilliant best if the Red Knights are to succeed in the Qatar Cup this year.