<div><img style="" class="img-responsive" src="https://www.qsl.qa/sites/default/files/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7%D…; alt="Alt" title="" /></div>
<p>Reigning champions Al Sadd beat Al Rayyan 1-0 to reach the final of 2021 Qatar Cup.</p><p>Santi Cazorla scored the only goal of the feisty semifinal contest by converting a penalty kick in the 84th minute at the Al Duhail Stadium on Thursday. He was declared the Man of the Match for his brilliant allround show in what was a pulsating clash.</p><p>The start of the much-awaited clash was exactly how fans expect in matches involving the two sides - plenty of action and combativeness on the pitch. </p><p>In the third minute, Al Rayyan’s Ahmed Abdelmaqsoud bumped into Guilherme Torres of Al Sadd, causing a short stoppage as players received treatment.</p><p>In the seventh minute, Baghdad Bounedjah barged into the Al Rayyan box, but his shot from close range was blocked by Khaled Muftah. A few seconds later, Bounedjah had another go, but this time Al Rayyan keeper Saoud Al Hajri palmed his low shot away.</p><p>In the 16th minute, Al Rayyan’s Mohammed Juma was booked with a yellow for a sliding tackle on feared striker Akram Afif a few feet away from the edge of the Al Rayyan box. Cazorla produced a low free-kick that hit the goalpost to the left of Al Hajri.</p><p>Al Sadd ramped up their attacks by producing two quality moves in succession after the first half hour. In one move, Bounedjah, after a sharp cross from Akram, hit the crossbar in the 36th minute and a few seconds later, the feared Algerian striker produced a bicycle kick that sailed past the goalpost.</p><p>In the 63rd minute, Al Rayyan seemingly broke the deadlock when Shojae Khalilzadeh headed in a free-kick, but the assistant referee ruled offside. Nine minutes later, Al Sadd coach Xavi benched Hassan Al Haydous and brought in Rodrigo Tabata.</p><p>Earlier in the second half, Al Sadd and Al Rayyan had brought in attacking midfielders Nam Tae-Hee and Yacine Brahimi respectively.</p><p>Big drama then unfolded when Shojae could not avoid a handball infringement while chasing Bounedjah inside his own box. VAR gave a penalty decision in favour of Al Sadd and Cazorla smashed the ball into the centre of the net even as Al Rayyan keeper Al Hajri dived to his left.</p><p>Three minutes later, Bounedjah nearly made it 2-0 for Al Sadd with a superbly-taken right-footed drive that beat keeper Al Hajri, but the ball narrowly missed the target.</p><p>In injury time, Al Rayyan’s Shojae headed from close range off a free-kick, but his deflection flew just above the Al Sadd crossbar.</p>