Al Wahda lift Challenge Shield with gritty win over Al Duhail

Al Wahda were crowned champions of the Challenge Shield, in the third edition of the UAE–Qatar Super Cup with a hard-fought 1-victory over Qatar’s Al Duhail at Al Nahyan Stadium on Friday.

The Abu Dhabi side edged a tense contest thanks to Omar Khribin’s first-half penalty, which proved decisive in a disciplined and resilient display that underlined their control on a high-stakes occasion.

Al Duhail’s task became significantly more difficult in the opening stages when goalkeeper Salah Zakaria Hassan was shown a red card for a reckless challenge on Khribin, leaving the Qatari side reduced to ten men early on.

Al Wahda capitalised on their numerical advantage in the 28th minute when Sultan Hussain brought down Gonçalo de Oliveira inside the penalty area. Khribin stepped up a minute later and made no mistake, calmly dispatching the spot-kick and wrong-footing the goalkeeper to give his side the breakthrough.

Despite the setback, Al Duhail emerged with renewed intent after the interval. Just three minutes into the second half, Adil Boulbina broke through on goal with a golden opportunity to level the score, but his effort drifted narrowly wide.

The Qatari side continued to apply sustained pressure as the half wore on, throwing numbers forward in search of an equaliser. However, Al Wahda’s back line remained organised and resolute, repelling wave after wave of attacks.

Drama unfolded deep into stoppage time when Boulbina appeared to have rescued Al Duhail, poking home a rebound in the dying moments. Celebrations were cut short, though, as VAR intervened to rule out the goal, preserving Al Wahda’s slender lead.

Late tension escalated further when Abdulla Hamad was shown a second yellow card, forcing Al Wahda to finish the match with ten men. Nevertheless, they held firm through the final moments to seal a memorable triumph.

The final whistle confirmed Al Wahda’s place atop the podium, as they lifted the Challenge Shield and added another piece of silverware to their collection in emphatic fashion.

Meanwhile, the Organising Committee of the UAE–Qatar Super Cup has held the official technical and coordination meeting for the Challenge Cup match, part of the third edition of the UAE–Qatar Super Cup, which will bring together Al Jazira and Al Ahli.

The match will take place on Sunday at Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium, home of Al Jazira Club, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm UAE time.

Al Jazira enter the contest as winners of the ADIB Cup for the 2025 season, while Al Ahli qualified after being crowned Qatar Cup champions for the 2025 season.