DOHA: The third edition of the Qatari-Emirati Super Cup delivered several talking points, but one success stood out above all: the continued football partnership between the two brotherly nations and the shared commitment to sustaining the competition for a third consecutive year.
The tournament opened with an Emirati triumph as Sharjah were crowned Super Cup champions after defeating Al Gharafa 5-4 on penalties at Thani Bin Jassim Stadium. The match ended 1-1 after regular time, with Koman giving Al Gharafa the lead in the 64th minute before Pereira equalised for Sharjah in the 73rd. Sharjah then held their nerve in the shootout to secure the title.
Despite missing out on the trophy, Al Gharafa supporters viewed the result positively, seeing the match as a valuable and competitive preparation ahead of their key Doha Bank Stars League clash against Al Sadd in round 14. Under head coach Pedro Martinez, Al Gharafa created several chances and could have decided the contest before penalties, but missed opportunities ultimately allowed Sharjah to prevail.
In the second match of the event, Emirati side Al Wahda claimed the Challenge Shield with a 1-0 victory over Al Duhail at Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The contest grew increasingly intense in the second half, with Al Duhail believing they had equalised through Adel Boulbina. However, the goal was ruled out following a VAR review, confirming Al Wahda’s narrow win and extending their recent superiority over Al Duhail in elite Asian competitions.
Al Duhail battled hard to withstand Al Wahda’s pressure, while the Emirati side found it challenging to put the game beyond doubt despite holding onto their single-goal advantage.
