Mohammed Gholam: Respecting the opponent was key to the win

Al-Sadd sporting director Mohammed Gholam believes that his side’s 7-0 win over Al-Arabi, which took them to the top of the league, is a historic result.

Speaking after the match, Mohammed Gholam said: “We are happy with this historic win which we acheived at an important time of the league. This win got us back into the title race and this is really important for us in this period. I hope we can continue the campaign with the same intensity and the same performance.”

Pointing out that the respect given to the opponents was key to the win, the sporting director said: “I wish to thank the coaching staff and the players for their efforts during this big match against Al-Arabi. Complete respect for the opponent was the secret to this victory. The players went into the match fully focussed and gave their best. This had a positive reaction in helping us exploit chances and to end the game with this big result.”

“Even now, the league is not over,” said Mohammed Gholam. “The tournament is still out there on the pitch for us to play for. We need to look for the win in all our remaining matches so that we achieve our aim.”

He also went on to add: “This was a deserved victory which came on the back of the performance of the players on the pitch. They came up with a honourable account of themselves, which helped them get through the match in this classy fashion, making the fans happy. This showed that Al-Sadd will fight for the league title until the very last moment of the league. What is up ahead will be tougher and everyone needs to prepare hard for the remaining matches in the league.”