Al Wakrah set up Al Sadd quarter-final; Al Rayyan cruise

Doha, Qatar: Al Wakrah set up a thrilling Amir Cup quarter final showdown against Al Sadd after edging Muaither 5 4 on penalties following a 3 3 draw...

Doha, Qatar: Al Wakrah set up a thrilling Amir Cup quarter-final showdown against Al Sadd after edging Muaither 5-4 on penalties following a 3-3 draw in an epic clash at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium yesterday.

Record 18-time champions Al Sadd had earlier overcame a late Al Markhiya fightback for a 3-2 win in the Round of 16, while Al Rayyan cruised to the last eight stage with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Al Khor. The Lions will meet Qatar SC in the quarter-final.    

Substitute goalkeeper Omair Al Sayed was the hero for Al Wakrah – the newly-crowned Qatar Cup champions – blocking Hugo Gomes and Jamal Hamed’s shots during the shootout after Al Wakrah came under pressure following Hamdy Fathy’s failed attempt.

Al Wakrah’s clash with Al Sadd will be a rematch of their Qatar Cup semi-final where the Blue Wave downed the Wolves on penalties after Omair’s heroics.

Muaither’s Denis Alibekov had taken the match to shootout after converting a penalty in the 115th of the match following Mohamed Benyettou’s spot kick in seventh minute of extra time that regained the lead for Al Wakrah.