Ferrerira: Happy with the win; 5 finals remain for us

Al-Sadd head coach Jesualdo Ferreira expressed his gratitude towards the club’s fans for the support they showed during the 7-0 win over Al-Arabi.

The result lifted Al-Sadd over Lekhwiya to the top of the table on goal difference.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Ferreira said: “I did not expect this big result against Al-Arabi. The match was an open one and we managed to exploit their gaps well, especially through counter attacks.”

The boss went on to add: “In the first half, we scored four goals and had a great performance from one side. In the second, the performance was balanced and in the last twenty minutes we scored three goals that clinched the game.”

Ferreira also said: “Some have said that Al-Arabi were missing players but Al-Sadd were also missing players in the match, such as Salem Al-Hajri. I am very happy with the performance of Ahmed Bader on his debut. I also want to congratulate Bounedjah for becoming the top scorer of the league by scoring 5 against Al-Arabi.”

As for the remaining matches in the league, Ferreira said: “We have 5 finals remaining and I hope there won’t be any injury for any player becasue winning them will be crucial to clinching the title. We are happy to be on top and killing two birds with one. Our aim is to just win the title. I want to thank all the fans who came in large numbers. I know they won’t let us down in the coming matches as we look to win the title.”

He also added: “Al-Sadd have had many problems in the last five games, with suspensions and injuries. I hope we can give our best in the coming matches without suffering from the absence of any player.”

Asked about his countryman Manuel de Souza, the referee for the game, Ferreira said: “He is one of the best referees in Europe and not just Portugal. He just showed two cards. I am amazed at what happens in other matches where local referees show 6-7 cards. The players respected the referee and he respected them. He did not provoke the players and they were able to play well.”

Ferreira concluded by saying: “I hope Lekwhiya will be able to play in the AFC Champions League and the Cup tournaments, especially as playing in the big tournaments helps in improving the quality of play. Lekhwiya won’t focus on Asia alone and forget the league. I league the remaining matches will witness a lot of excitement.”