Amir Cup: Al Sadd beat Al Gharafa 5-0

Al Sadd, the reigning champions, thrashed Al Gharafa 5-0 in the Amir Cup semi-finals at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium yesterday, thanks to a brilliant double by Algerian goal machine Baghdad Bounedjah.

The Wolves will face Al Arabi in the semi-final after Al Arabi came back from a goal down to beat Al Sailiya 4-1 in the other quarter-final yesterday. 

For Xavi Hernandez’s Al Sadd, Nam Tae-hee, Akram Afif, and Yousuf Abdurisag were all on track in their search for a record-extending 18th Amir Cup win.

Tae-hee of South Korea scored the first goal for Al Sadd in the 25th minute, and Bounedjah added the second a minute later. At the stroke of halftime, Afif made it 3-0.

In the 72nd minute, Bounedjah scored his second goal and Al Sadd’s fourth, and in the 80th minute, substitute Abdurisag scored the final goal.

Meanwhile, Mohanad Ali gave Al Sailiya the lead in the 12th minute at the Qatar SC Stadium before The Dream Team made a quick comeback to book a rematch with Al Sadd – a rematch of last December’s final.

Al Arabi’s Mehrdad Mohammadi equalized 12 minutes after admitting a penalty before Youssef Msakni took the lead in the 62nd minute.

Msakani scored his second goal in the 73rd minute, seven minutes after Al Arabi’s Mohammed Salah hit the mark.