Al Sadd qualified for the semifinals of 2022-2023 season Ooredoo Cup despite losing 2-3 to Qatar SC in their exciting Round 5, Group A match at the Qatar University 4 Stadium on Friday.

While the positive result saw Qatar SC end up with the same tally of nine points in Group A standings, they still failed to make the knockout stage due to Al Sadd’s better goal difference.

Al Sadd with three wins and two losses, scored 15 goals and conceded six for a goal difference of +9. Qatar SC, also with three wins and two losses, scored 10 goals and conceded eight for a goal difference of +2.

Umm Salal, with 13 points, topped Group A and had already secured a place in the knockout semifinals after Round 4 action.

From Group B, Al Duhail and Al Arabi had already made it to the last four after Round 4.

Al Wakrah, Al Ahli and Al Sailiya are the other teams in Group A.

Group B comprised Al Duhail, Al Markhiya, Al Arabi, Al Shamal, Al Gharafa and Al Rayyan.

Needing an improbable huge win, Qatar SC were 0-2 down at half-time, but that did not dent their determination as they rallied superbly to score a worthy victory.

While Andrew Ayew (10th minute) and Rodrigo Tabata (15th minute) put Al Sadd ahead in the opening half, substitute Abdulrahman Al Jassim (69th minute), Bader Benoun (83rd minute) and Matheus dos Santos (85th minute) delivered the goals for Qatar SC.

Both Al Sadd and Qatar SC were expected to battle hard in their final group stage encounter and they lived up to that.