Mesaimeer stun Sailiya to enter quarter-finals

Second League side Mesaimeer added another big scalp in the Emir Cup yesterday as they stunned QNB Stars League side Al Sailiya 1-0 in the third round at the Grand Hamad stadium. Mesaimeer will take on Al Gharafa in the quarter-finals. The winning goal came from Ahmed Almahaijri in the 40th minute. The Mesaimeer striker to his luck was unmarked by the Sailiya defence and he slammed home after receiving a cross from right flank. Sailiya went all out for an equaliser but could not find past determined Mesaimeer defenders. Mesaimeer, which had defeated another first division side Al Ahli in the second round last week, put in another lively display yesterday. They were up against Sailiya, who were on a high after finishing sixth in the QNB Stars League this season. Al Sailiya coach Sami Trabelsi had targeted Emir Cup after some impressive performances in the league. The Peregrines did very well in the first phase of the campaign, but they could not sustain the momentum in the second. They had occupied the fourth position for long, but eventually ended up sixth and missed out on a top four finish.Tunisian Trabelsi, who has been coaching them for long, had often complained of the team’s off-the-field problems. A series of negative results adversely affected the players’ mindset and they could not stay focused till the very end in many games. And it showed again yesterday. After trailing by a goal, Sailiya could never lift their game. The failure to strengthen the squad with fresh legs in winter transfer window has proved to be their undoing. Sailiya’s only recruitment during the break was Yemeni player Alaa al-Sasi.In another third round match yesterday, Al Arabi outplayed Al Wakrah 4-0 to set-up a quarter-final clash against Al Rayyan. For Al Arabi, Kwame Karikari scored a brace, while Hamad al-Harbi and Diego Jardel Koester scored one apiece. The other two quarter-finals pits Umm Salal against QNB Stars League and Qatar Cup champions Al Duhail, while Al Khor run into Al Sadd.In the third round matches on Saturday, Umm Salal thrashed Al Kharaitiyat 5-0, while Al Khor edged out Al Markhiya 10-9 on penalties. The quarter-finals will be played on May 3 and 4.The top four teams in the QNB Stars League – Al Duhail, Al Sadd, Al Rayyan and Al Gharafa – received a bye to the quarter-final stage of the competition.The Emir Cup is the most prestigious domestic football tournament and brings down the curtains on the nine-month long football season in Qatar. The event offers a chance for lower division teams to test their mettle against the big guns as they bid to qualify for the final at the Khalifa Stadium on May 19.