The 2015-16 Qatar Volleyball Association’s domestic appears all set for a throbbing climax at the Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiya Arena on Friday at 6.30 pm. Defending champions and 21-time winner Al Arabi Club are primed to take on El Jaish in the final of the prestigious Emir’s Cup on Friday.
The winners will take home QR500,000, while the runners-up stand to gain QR250,000. Main sponsors have put up QR10,000 for the best player of the final. For Al Arabi, this is their 28th final, while El Jaish got the tilt at the title for the first time.
QVA Technical Director Hussein Imam Ali conducted the pre-final press conference in Doha on Thursday. Al Arabi Club were represented by Volleyball Head Abdulla Juma al Hitmi, Head Coach Maaouia Lajnef, captain Ali Omar, Ivan Zaytsev and Yoandry Leal Hidalgo.
For El Jaish, Coach Zohair Belhadj, Team Manger Khalid al Kaabi captain Mohammed Anbar, Oreol Camejo and Robertlandy Simon were present on the occasion. Since this is the maiden entry into the final for the army team, it has to be seen on the morrow if they can handle pressure and tackle the combine might of the rivals.
This is the eighth faceoff between the two teams with Al Arabi Club winning four of them. Also this is the second final between the two sides. El Jaish had posted a 3-1 victory in the final of the QVA Cup against Al Arabi. Then El Jaish clinched the Qatar Cup semi-final playoffs 2-1 against Al Arabi as well.
Until the current season, Al Arabi Club and Al Rayyan Club had been two powerhouses of the domestic volleyball, dominating the three major events – the QVA League, the Qatar Cup and the Emir’s Cup.
The army team however emerged as the third force this year and earned the first shot at the showcase event’s final after having toppled Al Rayyan Club 2-1 in the semi-final playoffs.
El Jaish did well to bag the QVA Cup, the lung-opener with a come-from-behind 3-1 triumph over Al Arabi Club. Then they failed to withstand the long League’s pressure and finished fourth behind champions Al Arabi Club, runners-up Al Rayyan and Police.
And when the big Cup events began, El Jaish roped in world’s best middle player Robertlandy Simon and Oreol Camejo. The two professionals gelled well with the core players of El Jaish and provided the much-needed solidity.
Cuban Simon has been their key, lifting lifted El Jaish past Al Rayyan in the Emir’s Cup semi-final playoffs – something that he was not able to do during the Qatar Cup final against the same opponents recently.
Besides Simon, Camejo, Bojan Dokic and setter Milos Stevanovic have also been in rich form and maintained their team’s momentum in the biggest volleyball event in Qatar.
On the other hand, holders and 27-time finalists Al Arabi Club had a rather easy passage into the final against Police, dismissing their challenge 2-0. Setter Seifeddine Elmajid, libero Mohamed Abderrahman, Renan Rebeiro and middle players Ibrahim Mohammed and Ahmed Bassam have been boosted by the arrival of Dynamo Moscow’s Italian player Ivan Zaytsev and Yandry Leal Hidalgo.
Coaches and players of both the teams asserted that the final would be tough and exciting. If the momentum is with El Jaish, vast experience of handling the pressure in the final is on the side of Al Arabi Club.
The key in the final will be the reception and defence. Both the teams have good servers and smashers. Also the two outfits have strong middle blockers and players. Anyone that negotiates with the serve well should have an edge.
Opposite Zaytsev said about the final, “We played high level of volleyball in the Emir Cup till now and we know how to handle the moments of difficulty. In the final, there will be a lot of such moments and we’ve to be ready for them. We’ve to believe also in ourselves that we can manage them.”
“I think our service will be the key. If we can deliver good service, just as we’ve been doing, we can limit the options for their setter.”
Zaytsev also said, “Al Arabi look to be complete team. We’ve some good middles. Our setter, libero and receivers are also strong. During the practice sessions, we’ve done well. We’ve to do the same in the final.”
Talking about El Jaish, the Italian national team player said, “They are really playing pretty good. They have a good system. They have a good setter (Milos) and he’s handling the team well. Their attack is dependent on Simon more. I just hope he is a bit tired in the final after so many matches (with laugh).”
Teams

Al Arabi Club: Ali Omar (captain), Juma Faraj, Seifeddine Elmajid, Renan Rebeiro, Amro Hisham, Mohamed Abderrahman (L), Ahmed Bassam, Thiago Oliveira, Ibrahim Mohamed, Jorge Gonzalez Garcia, Yoandry Leal Hidalgo (pro), Ivan Zaytsev (pro)
Head Coach: Maaouia Lajnef. Team Manager: Abdulla Jassim al Kuwari
El Jaish: Marko Stevanovic (L), Mohammed Anbar (captain), Emir Makas, Mubarak Abdulrahman, Oreol Camejo, Bojan Dokic, Milos Stevanovic, Ilija Ivovic, Youssef Aghlaf, Robertlandy Simon, Mohammed Abuwatfa, and Papemagutte Diagne
Head Coach: Zohair Belhadj; Team Manager: Khalid al Kaabi