Doha: Yacine Brahimi starred with a brilliant hat-trick as Al Gharafa outclassed Al Sadd 4-1 to retain the prestigious Amir Cup title in front of 37,823 spectators at Khalifa International Stadium on Saturday.
Pedro Martins’ Al Gharafa first frustrated Al Sadd with a disciplined defensive display before taking control through Ferjani Sassi’s 21st-minute opener. Brahimi then struck his first goal six minutes later to put The Cheetahs firmly in command of the final.
The Algerian playmaker added his second in the 63rd minute to tighten Al Gharafa’s grip on the contest before Javairo Dilrosun gave Al Sadd a glimmer of hope with a late strike in the 88th minute.
However, any thoughts of a comeback were quickly extinguished as Brahimi completed his hat-trick in the opening minute of stoppage time, sparking wild celebrations among Al Gharafa players and their supporters as the final whistle confirmed a memorable triumph.
With back-to-back Amir Cup triumphs, Al Gharafa lifted the trophy for the ninth time, having claimed five titles under their former name, Al Ittihad. The victory also secured The Cheetahs a place in the AFC Champions League.
Roberto Mancini’s Al Sadd, who struggled to find their rhythm and looked below par in the final, finished the season with just one domestic trophy - the Qatar Stars League title.
