April 28 (Reuters Sports Service) - Al Shamal president Ibrahim Al-Sada said his team had an exceptional season in the Qatari Professional Football League despite losing the title with a 3-2 defeat to Al Sadd in the final round on Monday.

Al Sadd clinched the Qatari league title by defeating ten-man Al Shamal in the final round, winning the title for the 19th time in its history after raising its tally to 45 points, five points ahead of Al Shamal.

Al Shamal played with ten players after Abdel Samad Bounasser was sent off in the opening minutes of the second half.

Mr. Al-Sada added to the club's website, "I congratulate Al-Sadd on their victory and winning the league title this season. We are proud of what Al-Shamal has achieved this season, during which they competed for the league title until the last round, for the first time in the club's history."

"From the first round to the last, Al Shamal has been progressing steadily and has always remained competitive, which indicates the consistency of the team's level from the beginning of the season to its end."

The president of Al Shamal stressed that what the team achieved was not a coincidence, "but rather the fruit of great efforts made by everyone working within the club system, whether in the administration or the football department, which worked seriously and sincerely, as well as the technical staff, which led the team competently to achieve the best results in one season throughout the history of the club."

Mr. Al-Sayed stressed that everyone within the club is determined to continue working hard to complete the successful journey that the team has begun, during the upcoming period in which the team looks forward to achieving the ambitions of the club and its loyal fans.

Al Shamal will meet Al Sadd again in the quarter-finals of the Emir of Qatar Cup next Friday.