Al Sadd's goalkeeper Saad Al Sheeb, Spanish midfielder Santi Cazorla and Qatari defender Abdelkarim Hassan posing for a photo with the Qatar Cup winner's trophy. Al Sadd are the Qatar Cup title holders.
Doha: Al Sadd’s star defender Abdelkarim Hassan is expecting a feisty contest against Al Rayyan tomorrow when the two football powerhouses meet in the Qatar Cup semi-final.
The kick-off - set for 4:45pm - will take place at Al Duhail Stadium.
In the second semi-final of the event tomorrow, Al Gharafa face Al Duhail at the same venue (7:45pm).
“As usual, Al Sadd and Al Rayyan matches are always very difficult. We managed to beat Al Rayyan in the first leg of the league and now Al Rayyan have a new and good coach (Laurent Blanc) who has succeeded in getting his team together,” Hassan said in an interview.
“Therefore, the game will be like a Clasico between the two top teams in Qatar Cup,” Hassan said.
“The two teams know each other well in terms of their strengths and weaknesses,” Hassan, Asia’s Best Player in 2018, added.
The 27-year-old urged his team to stay focused in the one-off clash which could take them to the final of the four-team event.
“The Qatar Cup is different from the league because it needs more focus. We’re aware of this. Al Sadd players realise the importance of focus to achieve a win in the semifinal as a first step and qualifying for the final,” Hassan said in an interview QSL website.
“It’s a strong championship and everyone is waiting for it, especially as it bears the name Qatar. And let’s not forget that Al Sadd are the title holders. We’ll strive to enter the event on a positive note in order to win it again,” Hassan, one of the key members of the Qatar squad that won 2019 AFC Asian Cup, warned.
“We’ve great passion and ambition to compete in the tournament. Our preparations are a continuation of what we offer during the league. Our team has a wonderful technical set-up,” Hassan said.
When asked if he or his team was under any kind of pressure before the high-profile clash, Hassan said: “Al Sadd players have the experience and tenacity in dealing with such circumstances. Al Sadd remain the number one side to win all tournaments in Qatar. And we know that we’ve to work hard to achieve that.
Al Duhail players taking part in a training session ahead of tomorrow's Qatar Cup semi-final match against Al Gharafa.
“I hope we’ll succeed in this tournament and achieve more titles in the future,” Hassan said.
Meanwhile, Homam Al Ameen, Al Gharafa’s promising left-back, said yesterday his team had prepared well for what would be a ‘strong’ against Al Duhail.
Regarded as the one to watch in the future because of his exciting game and physique, the U-23 star is expected to be in the starting XI tomorrow.
“It’ll definitely be a strong match as is the case with all our previous games against Al Duhail. We’ve to be prepared physically and mentally and to focus throughout the match until we achieve the goal which is to qualify for the final,” Al Ameen said.
“We’re happy to be a part of this tournament and our presence came after the effort we made last season. We’re excited to be playing in this competition. We look forward to winning the semifinal as a first step and then being in the final. This is a knockout match and in that kind of a scenario, the chances are equal for both parties. We will do everything we can in order to achieve the desired result,” Al Ameen said.
“Qatar Cup matches are different from league matches. There must be a winner, which forces the players to have a higher focus and a different approach. Also, a loss means you’re out of the tournament and there’s no room for comebacks. This applies to both teams,” he said.
During the on-going QSL season, Al Ameen has won the U-23 Best Player of the Month Award twice.
Al Ameen said Al Gharafa would be playing to their strengths rather than worry about the opponents tomorrow.
“Generally, every team has strengths and weaknesses and what matters to me is who we are. What I want is on the day of the match, we’re ready to apply our strengths, exploit opportunities and avoid mistakes by adhering to our coach’s instructions and focusing throughout the match,” Al Ameen said.
“Al Gharafa enter all tournaments with the same enthusiasm and desire to achieve victories. As long as we carry the Al Gharafa logo, the enthusiasm is always there to win all competitions. Our desire is to win the Qatar Cup,” he added.
