DOHA: Hosts Al Sadd, captained by Barca legend Xavi, on Saturday
scored once in each half for a 2-1 win over El Jaish in the final of
the Qatar Cup.
It was Xavi's first trophy in Qatar following his move from Barcelona
at the end of the 2015 season.
Playing on home soil, Al Sadd opened the scoring through Baghdad
Bounedjah in the 21st minute.
Defending champions El Jaish, coached by Sabri Lamouchi, found the
equaliser when Uzbek forward Sardor Rashidov found the net in the 39th
minute.
It was Rashidov's 17th goal this season for El Jaish.
However, Al Sadd put the record straight, getting the game-winner from
Jugurtha Hamroun in the 73rd minute. Hamroun fired a bullet from the
edge of the Al Sadd box for the match-winner.
A near-packed Al Sadd Stadium celebrated with coach Jesualdo Ferreira
who was thrown in the air by jubilant Al Sadd players at the end of
regulation time.
Sheikh Joan bin Hamad Al Thani, Chairman of the Qatar Olympic
Committee (QOC), gave away the trophies and the medals at the end of
the final.
QFA President Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Bin Ahmad Al Thani and QSL
chief Hani Ballan were also present.
In the semifinals last week, Al Sadd had beaten Al Rayyan while El
Jaish got past Lekhwiya at AL Sadd Stadium.
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