THE Emir’s Cup final on Friday is also the grand occasion when Qatar proudly unveils the refurbished Khalifa International Stadium, the finest specimen of modern arenas and the first finished venue for the 2022 World Cup, so it is even more imperative that the big names come to the party.
Al Sadd and Al Rayyan, the traditional giants in Qatar football, needed no second invitations.
Rayyan, coached by legendary Danish player Michael Laudrup, brought the house down when they shocked Qatar Stars League (QSL) champions Lekhwiya 3-1 in the first semifinal while Qatar Cup winners Sadd pushed El Jaish into oblivion with a comprehensive 2-0 victory to book their berth in a sixth straight title clash of the prestigious tournament.
Rayyan found their feet in sensational fashion last week following their recent disappointments at the Qatar Cup, where they lost to Sadd in the semifinal, and the AFC Champions League after defeats against Al Wahda and Al Hilal put paid to their hopes of a first-ever knockout round berth.
Rodrigo Tabata was in inspirational form for Rayyan, scoring a brace after Musab Kheder gave them the lead with an opportunistic goal. The Lions also need to thank their fans, who put up a show of their own on the stands especially in the second half, after Lekhwiya equalised through a beautifully-crafted team goal, scored by Youssef Msakni.
In the other semifinal, Sadd were truly a class apart. Even though sentimental favourites Jaish, playing in their last tournament before they are merged with Lekhwiya, fought with all their heart, the Wolves had a relatively easy passage into the final, settling the issue through well-taken goals from Baghdad Bounedjah and Hassan Al Haidous.
Sadd were utterly disappointed to have passed up the opportunities in the QSL and Champions League, where they went out in the qualifying round, but now they have a chance to make it two out of two and redeem their season in glorious fashion.
“It’s great to be part of the Emir’s Cup final. It’s my second final with Sadd and I can’t hide my happiness,” said coach Jesualdo Ferreira. “We know how strong Rayyan are. We’ll look to get a good victory and for that we need a bit of luck as well. It’ll be amazing to play at the Khalifa Stadium. We hope to follow up our Qatar Cup victory with the Emir Cup.”
Going by history and form, Sadd, who won the title twice in the last three years, look the stronger. They have a solid back four including Morteza Mohammed, Ibrahim Majid and Abdulkarim Hassan, a dynamic forward line comprising talented and tireless wingers Al Haidous and Jugurtha Hamroun, and target man Bounedjah, who wants to score from every attack of theirs.
And with former Barcelona midfield maestro Xavi Hernandez pulling strings in the middle, the 15-time champions have every right to be the favourites.
Bounedjah, in particular, has been a thorn in the flesh for Rayyan, scoring four goals from two matches in the league, including a hat-trick in the 5-0 mauling in first phase.
But, Rayyan have Tabata. He was one of their key players when they last won the title, their sixth Emir’s Cup triumph, beating Sadd 2-1 in the final in 2013, and he is still their Man Friday.
Tabata, who often failed to find his inspiring form this season, which explains their disappointing outing in the league, showed signs of his capabilities against Lekhwiya. If he can continue that way in the final and link up with other old warhorses such as Sebastian Soria, Sergio Garcia and Victor Caceres, as well as inspire young guns like Musaab and Abdulrahman Al Harazi to produce their absolute best, Sadd will be made to sweat.
Laudrup expressed optimism that his team could turn the tide this time around, after being at the receiving end against Sadd all season.
“We’ve had big problems with Al Sadd this season, but in the Qatar Cup semifinal we showed a lot of character against them. After being 0-3 down, we fought back spiritedly and scored two goals. With a bit of luck, we could’ve even won it,” said Laudrup.
“We’re happy to be in the final. Cup finals are always something important. Winning the Emir’s Cup is of great importance,” he added.
With two talented teams taking on each other in a dream setting, the final of 45th edition of the Emir’s Cup promises to be, as Ferriera said, “a beautiful game of football”.
