Al Gharafa beat Al Rayyan 2-1 to claim Amir Cup
A comeback effort via a 50th minute penalty strike from Roger Guedes wasn't enough for Al Rayyan to overcome The Cheetahs, who despite being down to ten-men in the 64th minute went to claim their eighth Amir Cup title. Ferjani Sassi (4th minute) and Joselu (18th minute) scored the goals for Al Gharafa.
The victory marked Gharafa's first triumph in the prestigious football tournament since 2012, adding another chapter to their storied history.
Al Gharafa came out of the blocks with intent, applying high pressure and dominating possession from the kickoff. Their aggressive start was rewarded just four minutes in, when Sassi latched onto a pinpoint cross from Ahmed Al Ganehi and calmly slotted home the opener.
Buoyed by the early breakthrough, Gharafa continued to dictate the pace, and in the 18th minute, Joselu doubled the lead with a clinical finish off another well-worked delivery from the flank. Rayyan struggled to cope with Gharafa's fluid attacking play in the first half and went into the break trailing 2-0.
However, the second half saw a resurgent Rayyan side push forward with purpose. Their efforts paid off in the 49th minute when they were awarded a penalty after goalkeeper Yousef Hassan brought down Andre Amaro in the box. Guedes stepped up and converted from the spot to reduce the deficit.
Gharafa nearly restored their two-goal cushion moments later, but Rodrigo Mourinho was denied by the woodwork in the 51st minute. The game took a dramatic turn in the 65th minute when Gharafa were reduced to 10 men after Senegalese defender Seydou Sano received a straight red card for a reckless tackle on Guedes.
Despite the numerical advantage and relentless pressure in the closing stages, Rayyan were unable to break through Gharafa's resilient defence. The final whistle sparked jubilant celebrations for Gharafa, who lifted the Amir Cup trophy for the eighth time, ending a 13-year wait.
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