DOHA: Al Sadd cleared the final hurdle on their way to defend the Emir Cup Crown with a commanding 3-2 win against the reigning Qatar Stars League champs Al Rayyan in the first semi-final played at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Friday. The winners proved to be the better side in almost every department throughout the game and led the first semi-final 3-1 at one stage, before a penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time decided the final score of 3-2 in favour of Al Sadd. Al Rayyan’s captain and striker Rodrigo Tabata earned his team the perfect start when he netted the first goal of the game just 11 minutes after the kick-off. However Al Sadd made a stupendous comeback just seven minutes later when their key striker Al Haydos successfully netted one to square the score at one all. Haydos put his side ahead of Al Rayyan when he added his second goal in the 20thminute of the game. In the 89thminute of the game, Baghdad Bounedjah made life harder for Al Rayyan when he was placed in the perfect spot inside the penalty box to pick up the ball and redirect it to the net, much to as Al Sadd enjoyed a 3-1 lead. Al Rayyan’s skipper Tabata was awarded a penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time and the star striker made no mistake as the ball flew into the top right corner to make it 3-2, but his efforts were not enough to block Al Sadd’s way towards the final of the prestigious Emir Cup tournament. Al Sadd will take on Lekhwiya in the final on May 20.