Al Ahli and Umm Salal will lock horns in the first semifinal of 2023-2024 season Ooredoo Cup at the Grand Hamad Stadium of Al Arabi club on Tuesday, January 2, 2024. The kick-off is at 5.30pm.

Both Al Ahli and Umm Salal enter the clash with the single-minded goal of making it to the final.

In the quarterfinals of Ooredoo Cup, Al Ahli beat Al Markhiya 4-1, while Umm Salal defeated Al Shamal 2-0.

The Brigadiers and The Orange Fortress alike possess some top players in their ranks and are driven by fierce desire to compete for a place in the final.

Al Ahli are looking to gain on the momentum they achieved in the clash with Al Markhiya and the team’s coach Pedro Miguel seeks to continue the winning run. He is expected to play an attacking line-up for his team to make it to the final and eventually compete for the title.

As for Umm Salal, their coach Patrice Carteron is fully aware of the danger and pitfalls for his team against a challenging opposition. They had lost to Al Duhail in the final of the tournament last year and the coach would be eager for his team to reach the final once again and lift the cup.

Carteron will be relying on the same players who played against Al Shamal in the quarterfinal and hope to make the cut.