Ahmed Moein scored the winning goal as Al Arabi set up the final clash with Umm Salal after defeating Qatar SC 4-3 (2-2 in regular time) in penalty shoot-out at the end of an exciting semifinal contest of 2023-2024 season Ooredoo Cup at the Hamad Bin Khalifa Stadium of Al Ahli club on Tuesday.

The match had finished 2-2 in regulation time, with Hilal Mohammed (44th minute) and Rafinha Alcantara (83rd minute) scoring for Al Arabi, while Qatar SC got their goals through Jassim Al Jalabi (69th minute) and Ali Malallah (80th minute).

Substitute Ben Malango and Yousef Mohammed Ali missed from the spot for Qatar SC, while Abdulrahman Anad’s shot was the only one saved from Al Arabi side.

As expected, both teams came out firing from all cylinders as the opening whistle went off. Both sides were determined to get an early goal so as to take control of the proceedings, but they were both guilty of profligacy in front of goals for the better part of first half.

With the first half seemingly heading to a goalless draw, Al Arabi’s Hilal Mohammed finally broke the deadlock in the 44th minute after lashing on to a Mohammed Alaaeldin right-side cross that evaded all of Qatar SC defenders to fire home a left-footed banger into the bottom right-hand corner of goalkeeper Motasem Al Bustami's net.

The goal appeared to give Al Arabi a shot in the arm as they went in search of doubling their lead as the half gradually wound down, but Qatar SC’s defence were able to withstand the pressure to keep the scoreline at the respectable lone-goal lead heading into the dugout.

The second half threw up a much more interesting game as both teams were desperate for a change of fortune, with Qatar SC pressing for an equaliser and Al Arabi keen to extend their lead to be on a safer side.

Qatar SC made a triple substitution in the 62nd minute, with Bruno Tabata coming in to replace Raoul Sanda, while Ahmed Al Saadi got out for Abdullah Al Ahrak and Nasir Baksh was substituted for Ali Karami.

The substitution worked out as the team became more dangerous going forward while the midfield became more compact. The Kings eventually got their equaliser through Al Jalabi, who took advantage of a poor clearance of Ali Awad’s cross by the Al Arabi defence to slide home a right-footed goal in the 69th minute.

Eleven minutes later, Qatar SC went from a goal down to a goal ahead when Malallah headed home a Khaled Ahmed Mahmoudi cross to give the fans something to cheer about.

The lead, however, lasted only two minutes as Alcantara restored parity for Al Arabi in the 83rd minute after finishing off a brilliant quick exchange between him and Ahmad Moein with a right-footed shot into the top left-hand corner, much to the relief of the teeming fans.

Despite both sides’ attempts at finishing off the game in regulation time, the stalemate remained as they went into a penalty shoot-out and Al Arabi eventually prevailed.