DOHA (Qatar): Al Arabi advanced into the Ooredoo Cup following a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Al Rayyan in the first semifinal on Saturday.
Arabi were down by an own goal, before an opportunistic strike from new signing Abdulaziz Al Ansari and a fine header from Hamdi Harbaoui gave them a big win.
The result was yet another disappointment for Al Rayyan, who finished second in the Qatar Stars League and are already out of the Amir Cup in the quarterfinals.
For Arabi, who enjoyed a golden period in the 80s and 90s, it is a big chance to win a silverware after their Sheikh Jassim Cup triumph in 2011. Heimir Hallgrímsson-coached Arabi will play the winners of the second semifinal between Al Sadd and Al Ahli in the final.
Arabi started the more determined of the two sides and had a few glimpses of Rayyan goal at the start but they failed to adequately test goalkeeper Mahmoud Zakeri, who looked a bit jittery.
His distribution was not up to the mark and once lost the ball to Al Ansari who could not take advantage as Zakeri snatched the Arabi attacker’s shot from an acute angle.
Zakeri however had a big role to play in Rayyan’s opener as it was he who released Abdurahman Al-Harazi with a long ball on the right. Al Harazi did well against Arabi rightback Fahad Al Obaid and his intended cross took a slight deflection of Jassem Ahmed and sneaked in, wrongfooting keeper Mahmoud Abunada.
The young keeper made a terrific save a few minutes later to deny Abdurahman Al Korbi as Arabi battled to stay in the game. They came back strongly right at the end of the opening period when Al Ansari flicked home Gunnarsson’s long throw from the right.
