Al Gharafa won their first Amir Cup title in 13 years with a 2–1 victory over Al Rayyan, in a final attended by Qatar’s Amir.
Al Gharafa ended a 13-year drought on Saturday night, beating Al Rayyan 2–1 in a tense Amir Cup final at Khalifa International Stadium, in a match attended by Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
First-half goals from captain Ferjani Sassi and striker Joselu gave Pedro Martins’ side the edge, and they held on despite a second-half penalty from Roger Guedes and a red card for Seydou Sano, sealing Al Gharafa’s first Amir Cup title since 2012.
Gharafa got off to a flying start in front of 38,149 spectators, breaking the deadlock just four minutes in. Sassi arrived late in the box to meet a low cross from Ahmed Al-Ganehi, smashing it home and sparking celebrations from the yellow-clad fans.
It was a familiar sight this season. Sassi had also scored the winner against UAE’s Shabab Al-Ahli to book a place in the AFC Champions League Elite, and was on the scoresheet in a 2–1 league win over Al Rayyan in August.
Al Gharafa doubled their lead soon after. Joselu, the former Real Madrid forward, powered in a header but paused his celebration, unsure if the ball had stayed in play. Once the goal stood, he lifted his arms in triumph, and the Gharfawis erupted.
As in many of their matches this season, though, the job wasn’t finished. Al Gharafa’s attacking strength has often masked defensive frailties, and the first warning came minutes after the second goal when Andre Amaro’s header from a corner clipped the post.
Al Rayyan, who had stunned Al Duhail with a comeback from 2–0 down in the semi-final, were far from done. Early in the second half, Khalifa N’Diaye fouled Amaro in a clumsy clearance attempt, and Guedes stepped up to fire in from the spot. N’Diaye guessed right but couldn’t stop the shot.
Momentum shifted. Rodrigo Moreno hit the post at the other end, Amro Surag missed narrowly, and Joselu had another header cleared off the line.
Then came a major blow for Gharafa, as defender Seydou Sano was shown red for a late challenge on Guedes, leaving his side with ten men and over 27 minutes to play.
Al Rayyan pushed hard for an equaliser. Hatem Shehata struck the woodwork again, and several half-chances followed, but the finishing touch never came.
It was a familiar story. Despite a squad stacked with attacking talent, Al Rayyan lacked the edge when it mattered. Manager Artur Jorge, brought in from Brazil’s Botafogo to build cohesion, has made progress, but Saturday showed the project remains unfinished.
For Al Gharafa, the nervy final minutes gave way to relief and celebration. When it counted, Martin’s side stood firm. Captain Sassi and playmaker Yacine Brahimi lifted the trophy from Sheikh Tamim himself, marking the club’s long-awaited return to the top of Qatari football.
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