16 SATURDAY SPORT 1 APRIL 2017 Al Gharafa corner Qatar Cup glory Chinthana Wasala The Peninsula l Gharafa took sweet revenge on defending champions Al Rayyan to lift theA prestigious Qatar Cup in a thrilling finale at the Al Gharafa Indoor Hall yesterday. Just as coach Qusay Hatem expected, his team erased the memories of losing last year's final to Al Rayyan, with an impres- sive 104-91 win, defying a strong comeback from the Qatari basketball giants in the third quarter. American guard Michael Taylor was the driving force behind Al Gharafa’s success, bagging 43 and making nine rebounds and six assists during his 29-minute stay on court. Sammy Monroe Jr. II also made valuable contributions to Al Al Gharafa players and officials celebrate with the winners' trophy after defeating Al Rayyan 104-91 in the Gharafa, scoring 22 points with 11 rebounds. Qatar Cup final at Al Gharafa Indoor Hall yesterday. Pics: Mohammed Faraj For Al Rayyan, Abdel- rahman Abdelhaleem was game slip away without a reduce the deficit, making Hassan Abdul Maati’s team quarter showed less signs the chief scorer with 26 fight. it 48-39. At the end of the took the lead for the first of passion from the reign- points. Also he made two They reduced the gap second quarter, Al Gharafa time in the final, making it ing champions. assists and 8 rebounds with the help of impressive had extended the lead 57-58 in favour of the Al Gharafa went on to during their unsuccessful shooting and defending again, making it 53-49. defending champs. score back to back baskets bid to secure back to back skills to add 26 points in But Al Rayyan showed After that, the fight to while Al Rayyan struggled titles. the second quarter in con- courage once again and stay on top was on, but Al to keep the momentum Al Gharafa had a per- trast to Al Gharafa’s 18. added 27 points in the third Gharafa once again took going. Eventually the score Al Gharafa's Sammy fect start in the final to take At one stage, the scores quarter to pose a huge the lead at 69-68 to head shot up from 95-91 to 104- Monroe Jr. II shoots to score the much needed lead at read 24-39 in favour of Al threat to Al Gharafa. Half- to the final period with a 91 in the last three minutes during yesterday's final. the end of the first quarter Gharafa, but within min- way into the third quarter, score of 78-76 in favour of to secure Qatar Cup glory (35-23) but the reigning utes, Al Rayyan collected Addison Spruill shot back them. for last year’s runner-up Al champions did not let the back to back points to to back baskets, and But the fourth and final Gharafa. Nakheel Landscapes emerge Workers Cup champions The Peninsula Number 10 Mahamat Aboubakar sensational Nakheel Landscapes strike made it 3-0 in the 29th minute after he team players and officials akheel Landscapes emerged Workers’ received the ball in the box and then sent the celebrate with the Cup 2017 champions when they defeated ball into the net with the outside of his right foot. Workers Cup 2017 trophy. NAl Asmakh Facilities Management team The second half saw Nakheel protecting their 3-0 at Qatar Sports Club Stadium yesterday. advantage while Al Asmakh pushed forward to Nakheel Landscapes, who upset 2016 cham- no avail. pions Taleb Group in the quarter-finals, were With the 3-0 victory Nakheel were crowned the top favourites to win this year's tournament, the 2017 Workers’ Cup Champions. This is the co-sponsored by the Supreme Committee for first trophy for the team who also took part in Delivery & Legacy. the tournament last year. The match had a frantic pace from the kick In the third place play-off, DULSCO Qatar off as Nakheel scored from a free kick goal early defeated DELTA 2-0 after the goal-less first half. on in the fifth minute. Jacques Baone free kick DULSCO upped the ante and were rewarded landed into the near corner as Nakheel went up with a goal when Iddrisu Amadu shot the ball 1-0. Later on, in the 18th minute a goal from into the right side of the goal in the 45th minute Mahamat Mohamoud doubled Nakheel’s to give his side the lead. advantage. Later on, in stoppage time, Lawrence Avet A third and final goal put the cherry on top made it 2-0 after driving the ball into the box for Nakheel as Al Asmakh’s defence had no and smashing the ball into the roof of the net to answer for the fluid play of their opponents. ensure the Workers Shield for DULSCO. TODAY'S QSL FICTURES QSL: Al Wakrah aim to avoid the drop Al Ahli vs Al Kharaitiyat at Al Ahli Club (Hamad Bin Khalifa Stadium), 6.20pm Armstrong Vas points and will be looking for a prepared the team well during the show our real abilities, both Al Arabi and Al Shahaniya vs at Al Arabi Club The Peninsula Al Arabi Al Shahania win in today’s match to make break, this win against Al Khor teams will play for the win.” will lock horns at the Al Arabi sta- (Grand Hamad Stadium),6.20pm their position safe in the league. could start the great escape for “The only option for us is to dium. The Dream Team has seen t’s a do-or die situation for bot- Fernandez opposite number us,” Tunisian tactician said. win, I only play to win. Especially a host of managerial changes this Al Wakrah vs Al Khor at Al Wakrah tom sitters Al Wakrah as they knows that only a positive result Yaakoubi said that it will be when we take on a team who like season will be looking for stabil- Club (Saoud Bin Abdel Rahman Stadium), I head into the last three rounds from the remaining matches will tough match. us is fighting for survival. We are ity in their side and to register a 6.20pm of the Qatar Stars League (QSL). keep them afloat in the QSL “Al Khor are also in a tough not thinking of the play-off we win over their struggling oppo- With just 14 points in their “We are in the final games of situation, however ours is not the are just focusing on the Wakrah nents. IIgor Stimac’s Al Shahania Muaither SC vs Al Sailiya at Al Gharafa kitty, coach Kais Yaakoubi’s side the season, nine points to play for. best either. We have no excuses match” added the French are in the drop zone in twelfth Club (Thani Bin Jassim Stadium), 6.20pm has to win all their remaining We need to win all of our games going into this match because our tactician. place and will be hoping for their matches in order to avoid the now and wait for other results. situation is critical. My message “We have to take the posi- first win since their victory over QSL STANDINGS drop to second division. The task seems to be impossible to my players is to get ready for tives. We must win in order Al Sailiyah in October. P W D L G/F G/A PTS Today at the Al Wakrah Sta- but anything is possible in foot- our championship in the next survive in the league.” Second from bottom Al Lekhwiya 23 17 5 1 70 29 56 dium, the Blue Waves will take ball. In the last four seasons Al three games, we need three wins In the other matches today, Muaither will be in for a tough Al Sadd 23 16 6 1 69 19 54 on another relegation threatened Wakrah have battled from this then we will leave it to fate.” seventh placed Al Ahli will take challenge against ninth placed Al Rayyan 23 14 5 4 47 21 47 side Al Khor in the Round 24 position before. Mathematically Al Khor head into the match on tenth placed Al Kharaitiyat at Sailiya at the Al Gharafa stadium. El Jaish 23 13 6 4 42 31 45 match of the QSL. we have a chance and we will be knowing that a victory would the Al Ahli Stadium. Philip Birrol’s men have lost their Al Gharafa 23 11 4 8 40 38 37 Following new Qatar Foot- playing for hope against Al Khor.” effectively relegate their rivals, Despite facing many injury last three matches despite com- Umm Salal 23 7 9 7 26 32 30 ball Association rules, teams that The Blue Waves have only and boost their survival chances blows this season; the Brigadiers ing close to registering a point Al Ahli 23 7 6 10 32 37 27 finish 12th, 13th and 14th place picked up two wins from 23 no end. have shown great fighting spirit against El Jaish in the last round. Al Arabi 23 8 3 12 36 49 27 will automatically be relegated, matches. Their first win was “We have prepared the team as exemplified by their 3-2 win Sami Trabelsi’s Al Sailiya will fight Al Sailiya 23 7 5 11 26 41 26 the eleventh place team will go against Al Khor in well in this match, we played over Al Sailiyah last time out. Al for all three points and will be fly- Al Kharitaiyath 23 7 4 12 21 32 25 for a play-off against Qatar Sports mid-December.