The second half of the Qatar Stars League begins on Friday, with the title race still wide open. Al Duhail hold a three-point lead at the top, but defending champions Al Sadd are breathing down their necks after a poor start to the season.Neither of the two bigwigs will be in action today, as they are scheduled to play on Sunday, with Al Duhail facing Qatar SC and Al Sadd taking on Al Shamal.Third-placed Al Ahli, who have exceeded expectations this season, will play tomorrow against Al Wakrah. Meanwhile, Al Gharafa, fourth in the table, face Al Khor.Today, two high-profile teams — Al Rayyan and Al Arabi — who have both underperformed so far this season, will kick off the second half hoping to turn their fortunes around.Al Rayyan will take on Umm Salal to kick off the 12th round of matches at the Grand Hamad Stadium. Both teams are eager for a win to avoid further setbacks at this critical juncture in the league. Separated by just one point, Umm Salal sit in sixth place with 14 points, while Al Rayyan are eighth with 13 points.Umm Salal will aim to avenge their first-leg defeat to Al Rayyan, which ended in a 1-3 loss. They approach this match with renewed confidence after a victory over Al Arabi in the eleventh round.Umm Salal coach Pablo Machin acknowledged the importance of the match and said the recent break was beneficial for his players. “The Al Rayyan match is very important, and we had a good preparation period during the break. Our full focus is on this match, especially since it comes after the break, which was very beneficial for the players,” he said.“We used this period to treat injuries, correct mistakes, and focus on the game plans we will rely on in upcoming matches. We realise that the second leg of the league will be challenging, and we hope to perform better against Al Rayyan to win three points. The players have shown great enthusiasm during the past period,” Machin added.Al Rayyan, on the other hand, will have new coach Artur Jorge on the sidelines after the Portuguese replaced Younes Ali. Jorge will be looking to inject fresh ideas into their faltering campaign.Meanwhile, Al Thumama Stadium will host the match between Al Shahaniya and Al Arabi, who are ninth and tenth in the standings, respectively. During the break, Al Arabi reached the final of the QSL Cup but lost to Al Duhail.Al Arabi’s new coach Yeray Rodriguez expressed confidence in his team ahead of the game. “We will enter the match with full focus and commitment. It is very important for us to get back on the right track and regain the team’s balance,” Rodriguez said.Al Shahaniya coach Alvaro Mejia said: “We will face a strong team with good players. We must trust ourselves, respect our rivals, and play without fear. Our goal is three points. Coming from the second division, we aim to remain in the first division, and while that task is difficult, we have confidence in ourselves. The management, players, and everyone are working hard this season.”QSL Round 12 FixturesFriday:4:15pm: Umm Salal vs Al Rayyan at Grand Hamad Stadium;6:30pm: Al Arabi vs Al Shahania at Al Thumama StadiumSaturday:4:15pm: Al Gharafa vs Al Khor at Thani Bin Jassim Stadium6:30pm: Al Ahli vs Al Wakrah at Al Thumama StadiumSunday:4:15pm: Al Duhail vs Qatar SC at Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium6:30pm: Al Sadd vs Al Shamal at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium