Duhok’s football team will face Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ettifaq tonight in the first leg of the Gulf Champions League semifinal. The match will begin at 11:00 PM. Duhok’s players are determined to return with a positive result and advance to the final, despite the challenges ahead.
Duhok reached the semifinals after finishing second in Group A with 9 points, behind leaders Al-Nassr from the UAE, who earned 14 points. Oman’s Dhofar came in third with 5 points, while Yemen’s Ahli Sana’a finished at the bottom of the group with 4 points. The team’s strong performance throughout the group stage has set the stage for this crucial match.
The players are eager to overcome the strong Saudi side and keep their hopes of reaching the final alive. Their objective is clear: secure a favorable result in the first leg to make the second leg more manageable.
The match will be officiated by an experienced Omani referee team. Yahya Al-Balushi will serve as the main referee, supported by Mohamed Al-Ghazali as first assistant and Rashad Al-Hakmani as second assistant. Said Al-Mazini will act as the fourth official. The video assistant referee (VAR) duties will be handled by Qatari official Mohamed Al-Sharif, assisted by Omani referee Omar Al-Alawi. Bahraini referee Ali Al-Samahiji will be the match’s referee assessor.
As both teams prepare for the intense showdown, Duhok’s focus is on executing a well-thought-out strategy to combat Al-Ettifaq’s strength. A solid performance tonight could set them up for a historic appearance in the final.
