DOHA: Tunisian midfielder Ferjani Sassi expressed his disappointment after Al Gharafa were beaten 4-1 on penalties by Sharjah following a 1-1 draw in regulation time in the Qatari–Emirati Super Cup at Thani bin Jassim Stadium.
“Unfortunately, that’s football,” Sassi said after the match. “Penalty shootouts are a matter of luck, and it didn’t go our way. We played an excellent game, especially in the second half, when we were capable of winning before it went to penalties.”
Sassi said fine margins decided the contest, praising Sharjah’s goalkeeper while lamenting missed chances. “Their goalkeeper was lucky, and the match was settled by small details. We scored first, but Sharjah equalised with a rather strange goal. We wanted to win, but we couldn’t manage it.”
The Al Gharafa midfielder said the team would now shift focus to upcoming challenges at home and abroad. “We will keep working to achieve success in the matches ahead,” he said, noting the club’s position at the top of the Doha Bank Stars League and its ambitions in the AFC Champions League, where they are aiming to qualify for the round of 16.
