Ferreira: This was a deserved win, youngsters did well

Al-Sadd head coach Jesualdo Ferreira was a happy man after his side’s 4-2 win over Al-Duhail in the Sheikh Jassim Cup final on Saturday.

Speaking to the club website after the title triumph, Ferreira said: “The match was difficult for both teams, especially Al-Sadd, as our last official match was four months ago. In addition to that, the weather conditions also had an effect on the players, increasing the difficulty of the match.”

The head coach added: “We worked with young players because of the injuries which have affected the team lately. The youngsters succeeded in showing their quality and they will be an important part of the team in the coming phase.”

“This was a match of heart, desire and determination and not a very technical one,” said the Portuguese tactician. “We succeeded in controlling the match from the first few minutes and the two goals that we scored increased our confidence. In the second half, we tried to use counter attacks in the face of pressure from the Al-Duhail players and then we went on to score the third and fourth goals.”

Ferreira also said: “Today’s big win over a strong team like Al-Duhail is a big achievement for the players, especially the youngsters.”

He went on to give a message to the young players: “I am happy with the performance of the youth in this match and I hope they learn and work hard during the upcoming phase. The team will be in need of each one of them.”

Ferreira ended by saying: “I congratulate the players and the coaching staff for the title win. I dedicate this win to the fans who have been supporting us for a long time.”