Al-Shabab Set for Gulf Champions League Semifinal vs. Zakho: Ben Zekri Recalls Doha Memories, Confident in Team's Resilience

Doha, Qatar - Ekhbary News Agency

Saudi Al-Shabab FC is set for a pivotal clash on Sunday evening against Iraq's Zakho in the semifinals of the Gulf Clubs Champions League, to be held at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar. This match holds particular significance for Al-Shabab, which is eager to end a prolonged absence from championship podiums. The team aims for victory and to advance towards the tournament's final.

Ben Zekri: Doha Memories and Victory Ambition

Algerian coach Noureddine Ben Zekri, head coach of Al-Shabab, expressed his immense joy at being in Doha, noting that his return to the Qatari capital revived previous memories from his experience in the Qatari League. During the pre-match press conference, Ben Zekri affirmed that his team reached this stage solely due to great ambition and a strong desire for victory and progression in the Gulf tournament. The coach added that Al-Shabab boasts a group of distinguished players capable of achieving the desired goals, emphasizing that the team has overcome the difficult technical and psychological phase it experienced earlier. This reflects a noticeable improvement in their conditions during the current period, providing them with additional motivation to secure victory in this decisive encounter.

Carrasco: A Final Before the Final

For his part, Al-Shabab's captain, Belgian star Yannick Carrasco, emphasized the paramount importance of the match against Iraq's Zakho, describing it as a "final before the final" given its significance in the team's journey towards reaching the championship match. Carrasco indicated that the team is in a state of complete focus and physical and mental readiness ahead of the anticipated encounter, explaining that qualifying for this advanced stage was not easy, which adds further importance to the match. The captain pointed out that the primary goal is to reach the final scheduled for April 23 and compete strongly for the title, asserting his confidence in his teammates' ability to achieve this objective.

Al-Shabab's Quest to End a Trophy Drought

This tournament holds immense importance for Al-Shabab, as they view it as a golden opportunity to mark an end to their more than decade-long absence from winning local and international championships. This season, the team struggled significantly in the local league but managed to painstakingly advance to this stage in the Gulf tournament, qualifying second in their group on goal difference ahead of Oman's Al-Nahda. Both teams collected 7 points, with Al-Shabab finishing behind Qatar's Al-Rayyan, who topped Group B with 12 points. This challenging qualification reflects the team's determination to overcome obstacles and achieve a long-awaited accomplishment.

The Zakho Challenge: Defensive Strength and Promising Attack

Conversely, Al-Shabab faces Iraqi club Zakho, who enters the match in peak readiness and confidence, having topped Group A with the highest points tally of 13 in a group theoretically considered tougher, featuring Kuwait's Al-Qadsia, UAE's Al-Ain, and Bahrain's Sitra. Zakho is considered the strongest defensively in the tournament, having conceded only four goals in the group stage, while their player Amjad Attwan scored five goals out of the team's total of nine. Zakho has delivered strong and consistent performances in most of their matches; even their sole loss against Al-Qadsia did not shake the Iraqi team's top position in Group A, underscoring their solidity and cohesion.

Tactical Analysis and Preparations

Al-Shabab is considered the most potent offensively in the tournament, having scored 18 goals, with Abdulrazzaq Hamdallah contributing 7 of them, which is the same number of goals conceded by the team. Additionally, Josh Brownhill and Carrasco have jointly scored 8 goals, reflecting the Saudi team's diverse attacking prowess. In contrast, Zakho relies on its defensive solidity and swift counter-attacks. Algerian coach Noureddine Ben Zekri is expected to adopt an offensive strategy, capitalizing on his team's significant resurgence, not only in the Gulf tournament but also in the local league. He aims to utilize his team's attacking strengths to unlock Zakho's robust defense and advance to the final, an aspiration eagerly awaited by Al-Shabab fans.