DOHA: The final match of the Amir Cup 2024 saw a ten-man Al Sadd beat Qatar SC 1-0 to win the championship title at the Education City Stadium on Friday.
Mateus Uribe of Al Sadd scored the match only goal in the 118th minute, securing the win with a 1-0 score at full-time, shortly after his teammate Akram Afif was sent off in the 109th minute.
Al Sadd increased their tally of the Amir Cup titles to 19, significantly distancing themselves in the record of champions from their closest pursuer, Al Arabi, who have nine titles. This victory reaffirms Al Sadd's dominance in the tournament, having reached the final on 29 occasions.
The match began energetically, bypassing the usual cautious start. Al Sadd quickly initiated the attacks, threatening goalkeeper Sate' Abbasi within the first five minutes when Ecuadorian Gonzalo Plata made a powerful run and shot, which Abbasi saved. Shortly after, Algerian Baghdad Bounedjah's shot skimmed past the post in the 7th minute.
Qatar SC responded strongly and nearly opened the scoring when Ivorian Yohann Boli's powerful shot was saved by goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham. The ball then fell to Brazilian Bruno Tabata, whose attempt just missed the crossbar in the 9th minute.
Al Sadd continued to press, with Brazilian Paulo Otavio's cross being headed over the bar by Bounedjah in the 12th minute. They had another clear chance when Colombian Mateus Uribe's strong shot was saved by Abbasi, only for Akram Afif to miss narrowly past the post in the 15th minute.Gradually, Al Sadd took control of the game, consistently reaching Qatar SC's goal. Akram Afif nearly scored with a powerful shot from the edge of the box in the 25th minute, which went just wide. He had another shot saved by the goalkeeper in the 31st minute, and Bounedjah failed to connect with Mohamed Waad's cross in the 34th minute.
Yousef Abdurisag missed a golden opportunity to score from an Afif pass inside the box, mishandling it from close range in the 38th minute.Qatar SC regained some offensive momentum towards the end of the first half, with Abdullah Al Ahrak's powerful shot being saved in the 44th minute. Yohann Boli almost scored from an Al Ahrak cross, but his effort was cleared off the line by Barsham, ending the first half in a goalless draw.
Al Sadd started the second half strongly, asserting clear dominance through possession and high pressing, forcing Qatar SC to defend deep. However, Al Sadd's Yusuf Abdurisag's header went over the bar in the 48th minute, and Gonzalo Plata's shot missed the post in the 55th minute.
The most dangerous chances of the match came for Al Sadd when Akram Afif dribbled past several defenders and struck the post. The rebound fell to Bounedjah, whose shot hit the crossbar in the 65th minute. Qatar SC quickly countered with a strong shot from Abdullah Al Ahrak, which Barsham saved, leading to a corner. Tabata's corner kick was headed by Yohann Boli, but Barsham made another crucial save off the line in the 68th minute.
Al Sadd applied immense pressure in the final minutes, with Gonzalo Plata's powerful shot being saved in the 79th minute, and Matias Uribe's shot hitting the post in the 83rd minute.
Despite the intense efforts, the match ended in a goalless draw after regular time, leading to extra time.
Al Sadd continued to dominate in extra time, with Afif's shot narrowly missing the post in the 98th minute, and Plata's shot going over the bar in the 103rd minute.
The second period of extra time saw Al Sadd reduced to ten men when Akram Afif was sent off after a VAR review for a rough tackle on Bruno Tabata in the 109th minute.Despite being a man down, Al Sadd managed to score the winning goal through Colombian Matias Uribe, who capitalized on a pass from substitute Pedro Miguel, netting the ball in the 118th minute. Qatar SC could not equalize in the remaining minutes, leading to Al Sadd's victory and their 19th Amir Cup title.
