All pictures by Mohamed Farag / The Peninsula
Doha: The moment the final whistle blew at Khalifa International Stadium last night, Al Gharafa players dropped to their knees in jubilation – some in prostration – as coach Pedro Martins, overcome with emotion, embraced his team with tears in his eyes.
This was their moment. After a long and determined campaign, Al Gharafa ended a 13-year wait to lift the prestigious Amir Cup, edging Al Rayyan 2-1 in front of 38,149 spectators in a final that swung from one end to the other.
The match had all the ingredients of a classic, especially after the 64th-minute sending-off of Seydou Sano, which came just after Roger Guedes converted a penalty in the 50th minute to halve the lead established by early goals from Ferjani Sassi (4th) and Joselu (18th).
Al Gharafa held firm despite the numerical disadvantage to secure their eighth Amir Cup title – their first since 2012 – and cap a solid season that also saw them finish third in the Qatar Stars League.
Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani presented the coveted trophy to captain Sassi and Yacine Brahimi, as the celebrations unfolded under the lights of the iconic stadium.
“It’s impossible to describe the feeling of winning this title. These are historic moments for the club and for us as players. After so many years, bringing the Amir Cup back to Al Gharafa is truly special. It means a lot to everyone involved with the team,” Sassi said.
“We fully deserved this win. It was a tough season, full of competition, but we showed quality and character. Winning the Amir Cup again is a great way to close the season. This trophy is for our fans, who have waited a long time for this moment.”
Brahimi said, “We’re very happy to win this precious trophy. It’s the result of a team effort. Without a doubt, winning the Amir Cup is a dream for any player.
“I’m proud to have achieved it with this group, especially in front of our amazing fans in such a special final atmosphere.”
Coach Martins added, “It was a tough match, as we expected. We started strong, imposed our style, and created good chances. That two-goal lead was deserved and gave us control early on. The players executed our plan well, and that first half laid the foundation for what became a memorable win.”
“Going down to ten men in a final is never easy. It made the game much harder, but the players responded with great discipline and spirit. We stayed compact, fought for every ball, and showed real heart. The most important thing is we held on and took the title,” he said.
Martins had said before kickoff that Al Gharafa team had “the level to win the Amir Cup” and his players delivered just that.
The game opened with high tempo. Trezeguet tested the waters early for Al Rayyan with an angled effort from distance that veered wide.
Then came the breakthrough. Brahimi’s quick thinking on a free kick caught Al Rayyan off guard, leading to a clever pass from Ahmed Al Ganehi to Sassi, who made no mistake firing into the roof of the net from close range.
Brahimi nearly doubled the lead himself after a brilliant solo run, beating three defenders before firing just wide of the right post. But the second goal wasn’t far.
Amro Surag’s shot from the right was deflected, but Joselu reacted sharply at the far post, heading home from a tight angle after reading the spin of the ball perfectly.
Al Rayyan created some moments, notably when Andre Amaro rose highest to meet a corner but saw his header bounce off the far post. Despite enjoying more possession, they failed to convert it into meaningful chances, with turnovers in key areas hampering their momentum.
Goalkeeper Khalifa Ababacar was largely untested until late in the first half, when he made a solid stop from Hazem Shehata’s drive from outside the box.
After the restart, the match took a sharp turn. Ababacar clipped Amaro while rushing out to clear a long ball, earning a yellow card and handing Al Rayyan a penalty.
Guedes, quiet in the first half, stepped up and struck into the left corner, reducing the deficit despite Ababacar getting a touch on the ball.
Rodrigo nearly restored the two-goal cushion moments later, connecting with a long pass and blasting a powerful shot that smashed against the right post. Surag then had another go, but fired wide.
Al Rayyan’s urgency increased. Guedes made a searing run down the left and squared to Shehata, who blazed over from a prime position. In the 60th minute, Rodrigo was forced off through injury, replaced by Mohammed Muntari.
Ferjani Sassi scores Al Gharafa's opening goal.
The pace remained relentless. Sami Beldi denied Brahimi’s curler, and Joselu’s header on the rebound was saved on the line by the Al Rayyan goalkeeper.
Sano received a straight red card for a challenge on Guedes near midfield – a decision that drew strong protest from the Al Gharafa bench.
Veteran Rodrigo Tabata entered to loud applause and nearly created the equaliser with a pinpoint set piece, which saw captain Julien De Sart’s effort graze the side netting.
Hazem came closest again with seven minutes remaining, striking the post following a corner. Al Rayyan continued to pile on the pressure, but Al Gharafa’s back line held its shape and nerve.
The depleted side withstood Al Rayyan’s relentless pressure during the stoppage time to end their Amir Cup drought.
