On an action-packed round eight evening of the Ooredoo Stars League, defending champions Al Sadd blanked Al Wakrah 3-0 in a dominating show at the Al Janoub Stadium while table toppers Al Duhail were held to a 1-1 draw by Al Gharafa at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium yesterday.
The other match of the day saw Al Arabi thrash Qatar SC 4-1 at Al Thumama Stadium.
Al Sadd continued with their winning ways as the defending champions rode on a brace from Rafa Mujica (24th & 86th minutes) while Akram Afif scored one goal in the 59th minute.
The fifth win of the league season saw Al Sadd take their tally to 15 points (ahead of Al Ahli on goal difference) to move closer to Al Duhail at the top with 19 points. Al Wakrah, suffering their third loss of the league championship, slipped to sixth spot with 11 points.
Al Gharafa are 4th with 12 points. Al Sadd would have added more to the score-line but for some close finishes and some good saves from Al Wakrah goalkeeper Mohammed al-Bakri.
The Wolves were expected to come hard on their rivals but they put on a fierce and attacking show that put the Cheetahs off their tracks.
Al Wakrah initially tried to cut down on Al Sadd’s fast pace and seemed to hold on well with the smart defence but it didn’t take Al Sadd long to draw the first blood. And the strike came in spectacular fashion after Moustafa Tarek set Mujica up with a fine short pass at the top-centre just outside the box.
The Spaniard made a half turn on pivot before unleashing a drive that beat three defenders and a flying goalkeeper to his left.
A shaken Al Wakrah tried to make amends but their attempts were met with constant spoils from Al Sadd. Jacinto Dala did come close on one occasion but his kick at the goal from a short distance was well cut off by alert
Al Sadd custodian Meshaal Barsham.
Al Sadd resumed the second session more forcefully and nearly doubled their lead in the 50th minute as Mujica moved a through ball down and a sprinting Afif made a fine attempt trying to beat stretched goalkeeper to his left but the ball got deflected by his fingertips. Afif eventually has his way minutes later as Cristo Gonzalez provided the assist from the right and Afif burst in to flip it over the goalkeeper this time (2-0). Firing on all cylinders Al Sadd kept coming hard at their rivals with some chances ending in kicks either going over the target or wide.
They delighted their fans one more time towards the end as Moustafa again flipped the over a defender and into the striking zone for Mujica to rush in and kick it in on the volley.
Al Sadd almost added a fourth in dying moments of stoppage time as substitute Yusuf Abdurisag came face-to-face with Al Wakrah goalkeeper but failed to beat him, the ball on rebound going to Mujica who this time hit it wide to the right.
Meanwhile the Red Knights saw their first draw of the league season being held 1-1 by Al Gharafa.
While Michael Olunga provided them with the lead in the 55th minute, slotting in an Almoez Ali cross neatly, Mohammed Muntari neutralised the advantage as he scored for Gharafa in the 87th minute.
Substitute Rabhia Boussafi send in a long ball which first was headed by Ferjani Sassi before the ball hit a defender to fall for a waiting Muntari to strike. With the points shared, table-topping Al Duhail now have 19 points, while fourth-placed Al Gharafa are on 12.
Msakni double for Al Arabi
Youssef Msakni scored a brace as Al Arabi thrashed Qatar SC 4-1. While Al Arabi’s Tunisian star struck in the 15th and 68th minutes of the match, Rodriguez Sanchez (36th minute) and Yazan al-Naimat (43rd minute) also scored a goal each.
Qatar SC were beneficiary of an own goal from Al Arabi’s Jassem Gaber Abdulsallam (63rd minute).
The only second win of the league championship for Al Arabi saw their tally move to 10 points while being in 9th place in the rankings.
Qatar SC with 7 points moved down a rung to 11th place. It was strong comeback after a loss in the previous round for Al Arabi.
The Dream Team smarting from a 2-5 defeat to Al Shamal, played like a team possessed against Qatar SC, who despite all their hard work could not stop the rivals from scoring big.
They made a rollicking start as al-Naimat cut across a pass for Msakni to beat defenders and go through the goalkeeper’s legs.
The Qatar SC goalkeeper Motasem Majed Albustami, however stood out making some superb saves in the match.
The first of which came in the 21st minute where he came down halfway ahead in the danger area to keep away a Rodri strike.
Later in the second session, he cut off a Msakni attempt before staving off an al-Naimat kick.
Despite Abustami heroics, Al Arabi were on a rampage. Rodriguez’s second strike, a long left-footed long ranger, was spectacularly successful and beat the goalkeeper to his right this time (2-0).
Their third goal in the opening half was produced through Rodri-Naimat combine with the latter scoring coolly.
In the 55th minute, Al Arabi had thrilling action in the ‘D’ but after Msakni turned around to strike, Albustami was at hand to keep the shot away.
Qatar SC pulled one back when Attaa Mohamed Jaber struck from outside the box and the ball hit
two defenders on its way into the net. Soon, Rodri was back into the rival box and provided Msakni with a neat cross to score again
(4-1).
Towards the end, Qatar SC’s Ben Malango seemed to have been fouled inside the box but a VAR check ruled out a penalty.