DOHA: Al Rayyan on Wednesday launched the new football season by beating Al Duhail in a penalty shoot-out to win the Sheikh Jassim Cup.
With new coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena watching from the touchline, Al Rayyan players exhibited great calm to score on all of their five penalties to win the match 6-4.
Both sides ended the regulation time at Al Sadd Stadium at 1-1.
Sheikh Jassim Cup is a one-off football clash that launches the new season every year.
Al Duhai’l’s Ismail Mohammed on Wednesday produced a spectacular solo effort to score his side’s goal from the edge of the Al Rayyan box in the 23rd minute.
In the second half, Al Rayyan’s Mohammed Al Harazi found the net at the one-hour mark with a slick deflection from close range.
Both teams produced exciting football as they came close to scoring again but could not.
After a pulsating 90 minutes, the match went into a penalty shoot-out.
In the penalty shootout, Al Rayyan’s Rodrigo Tabata, Myong-gin Koh, Khalfan Ibrahim, Sebastian Soria and Al Sadi scored from the spot kick.
For Al Duhail – the defending champions – Youssef El Arabi, Nam-tae-hee and Mohamed Moosa scored but Mohammed Muntari missed his team’s fourth penalty handing the victory to Al Rayyan.
It was sweet revenge for Al Rayyan who had lost to the same team during last season’s Amir Cup final.
QFA President Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Bin Ahmed Al Thani and QSL chief Hani Ballan handed over the medals to the players and the winner’s trophy to Al Rayyan skipper at the end of the match.
The two teams will now switch their attention to the start of the QNB Stars League that kicks off on August 4.
Source: qfa.qa