Al Sadd dethrone El Jaish to lift Qatar Cup

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Monday, May 1st 2017 05:28 AM

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.