In a tight affair at the Suhaim Bin Hamad stadium tonight Gharafa took on Al Ahli and won despite being a man down for the last half hour of the match. Dioko scored against his old club but then a second yellow card for Brazilian defender Anderson ensured a nervy end to the match. However, Gharafa then got the all-important second goal in extra time to prevail in the end.

The first real chance of the game came on 13 minutes as Gharafa’s George Kwasi crossed a dangerous ball from the left, Al Shammari’s header forced keeper Dosari to make a save.

Gharafa were slightly edging the possession and the next big chance came on the 40^th minute when Gharafa keeper Qasem Burhan had to tip over a pacey freekick by Mojtaba Jabari.

Its seemed as though the first half would end goalless but a quick counterattack down the left saw Al Shammari again involved as he supplied a pin point cross for Dioko who chested the ball into the net (44’). However the Congolese injured himself in the process and had to be substituted, Hussain Ali Shehab replaced him right on the stroke of half time.

In the second half Al Ahli again failed to test the keeper enough as Gharafa kept things tight at the back.

Then in the 60^th minute a rash high footed challenge in the middle of the park by Gharafa defender Anderson saw him pick up his second yellow of the night. The replay showed that he made some contact and the Brazilian should have known better having already been booked.

The referee’s decision allowed Ahli to gain the lion’s share of the possession and just two minutes later Ahli defender Pedro had a firm shot saved from the edge of the box by Gharafa’s keeper.

However for all the possession that the Brigadiers had, they failed to test the keeper enough, with new signing Mubele struggling to be clinical when his chances came.

Then in extra time new Gharafa forward Yasin Chikhaoui chased what looked like a lost cause down the left, he put on the afterburners and sent an intelligent cutback for Al Shammari who struck the ball first time to secure all three points for the boys in yellow and blue (93’).