Sunday, 5th September, 2021

18:10 kick-off at Al Khor Stadium

Al Arabi face reigning champions Al Sailiya in Round 1 (Group B) of the 2021-2022 season Ooredoo Cup at the Al Khor Stadium on Sunday.

Both teams will definitely target full points as they try to make a strong start to the tournament, which features 10 teams this time, five in each group.

Al Gharafa, Qatar SC and Al Khor are the other teams in Group B.

Al Arabi have a strong fan base and their supporters play a key role in their campaign in various tournaments.

Former Qatar international midfielder Younis Ali has replaced Icelander Heimir Hallgrimsson as Al Arabi coach in the new season. He was at the helm of Qatar SC last season.

The Dream Team, who finished in the seventh position in the 2020-2021 season QNB Stars League, had lost out to Al Sailiya in the quarterfinal of last season’s Ooredoo Cup in sudden death.

The sudden death was enforced after both teams were locked 2-2 after regular time and 4-4 at the end of tie-breaker.

Al Sailiya, coached by Tunisian Sami Trabelsi for long, had finished ninth in the 2020-2021 season QNB Stars League.

The Peregrines lost 0-3 to Al Wakrah in the semifinal, but the Qatar Football Association’s Disciplinary Committee reversed the result 3-0 in favour of Al Sailiya as Al Wakrah had fielded an ineligible player.

And Al Sailiya defeated Al Rayyan 2-0 in the final to lift their first major trophy.