El Jaish aim to go down in history with all guns blazing

There are certain football matches that are headed for history, win or lose. Today, when El Jaish face Al Sadd in their 2017 Emir Cup semi-final, it won’t be just another game between two top teams in Qatar. Because next season, there won’t be an El Jaish. The Soldiers have been merged with Lekhwiya to form a new team called Al Duhail Sports Club for the 2017-18 Qatar Stars League season. The Emir Cup presents the last opportunity for El Jaish to leave a lasting impression before being relegated to the history books. The players, the coach, the coaching staff and the support staff will now be disbanded and will be looking to get absorbed in other teams. There will be a lot of emotions – players, coaching staff and management alike - as Jaish take the field today, knowing that if they do not win, there won’t be another tomorrow. “Maybe this is the last game for me, for my players and for my staff. With this club, this is our last chance to win the Emir Cup. We aim to give it our best. We want to give a good lasting image for this great club,” said Jaish coach Sabri Lamouchi during the press conference. “The motivation in the players is amazing. They are working hard. They know that this match could be the end of our stay and that of El Jaish,” he added. Jaish finished fourth in the Qatar Stars League after being contenders at one stage of the season. They came close to winning a trophy when they played against Al Sadd in the Qatar Cup final. But Al Sadd ended up victorious 2-1 and denied them the chance for silverware then. This semi-final provides Jaish a great chance to avenge that loss. In the two matches that these two teams have played in the QSL, Sadd won one 2-1 and the other one ended in a 1-1 draw. After the two back-to-back losses – in the QSL and the Qatar Cup - Lamouchi is hoping that his team is going to be third-time lucky. “I hope for this clash we’re able to change the ending. In the last two games, there were just minor details that cost us the result. We made a few mistakes but against a team like Al Sadd,” he said. Lamouchi knows that his opponents will have the upper hand coming into this tie. The two wins, especially the Qatar Cup one, will give the Sadd players a lot of confidence. But he still believes that his players can deliver. “I am waiting for a good performance from my players. I know they will be eager to get this win.”Having lifted the Emir Cup title as a player, Lamouchi will be eager to lift it as a coach and leave on a high. “A long time ago I was a player with Umm Salal and I had won the Emir Cup then. This is a very important competition in Qatar. I hope we can do well. I hope this is not my last press conference in Qatar,” said Lamouchi with a smile.For Al Sadd coach, Jesualdo Ferreira, El Jaish are familiar opponents    perhaps too familiar. “I wanted to face another team in the Emir Cup. Because we have met El Jaish too often this season,” said Ferreira. The Portuguese manager will be eager to win this match and maintain their unbeaten record this season. “Our matches against Jaish are always tough. They have good players. Our ambition is to win and reach the final. Our players are very motivated because they have beaten them in the League,” he said. Al Sadd fought with Lekhiwya until the very end for the QSL title but couldn’t sustain the momentum towards the end and fell short by two points. While that would be a disappointment, they grabbed their first-ever Qatar Cup title. This was the first title for Ferreira with Al Sadd and also for Xavi. Winning the Emir Cup would make it a very successful season for Sadd and Ferreira. But the 70-year-old is keen to win the QSL title. “Winning the Emir Cup would not make it a successful season for me. I would like to win the League also. Two titles are always better than one,” said Ferreira.Will the team with no tomorrow emerge successful or will Sadd be able to manage another win? This Emir Cup semi-final promises to be an intense and emotional affair for sure.