The mouth-watering clash between Al Duhail and Al Sadd is the signature match in the 2019-20 QNB Stars League’s Week 9 fixtures, to be held on Thursday, 31st October, Friday, 1st November, and Saturday, 2nd November, with two games on each day.

The fixtures are Qatar SC vs Al Shahania (17:15, Qatar SC Stadium), Al Sailiya vs Al Rayyan (19:25, Al Ahli Sadium) on Thursday, Al Ahli vs Umm Salal (17:15) at Al Ahli Stadium, Al Arabi vs Al Wakrah (19:25) at Al Arabi Stadium on Friday, Al Khor vs Al Gharafa (17:15, Al Khor Stadium) and Al Duhail vs Al Sadd (19:25, at Al Duhail Stadium on Saturday.

Al Duhail vs Al Sadd, the encounter between last two editions’ champions of the QNB Stars League, will be another keenly-fought contest and is sure to be a crowd-puller.

It is also a clash between Qatar football’s two titans, who are the strongest contenders for the coveted league shield.

Al Duhail are topping the table with 20 points, while reigning champions Al Sadd are third with 15 points. However, Al Sadd have the advantage of playing two games less as their matches against Al Arabi and Al Khor were deferred due to their AFC Champions League commitments.

Qatar SC vs Al Shahania will be the week’s opening action on Thursday.

Both teams had good results last week. Qatar SC, ninth with six points, had scored a big win over Umm Salal, while Al Shahania held Al Sailiya goalless. Al Shahania still stood at the bottom with three points.

It will be followed by the Al Sailiya vs Al Rayyan game.

Al Rayyan are second in the standings with 18 points. The Lions, who are unbeaten so far along with Al Duhail, defeated Al Arabi in a high-profile game last week and are in good form.

Al Sailiya are sixth with 11 points.

Both Al Ahli and Umm Salal lost in the last round, so they will be desperate to collect points when they face off.

Al Arabi face Al Wakrah, who were held goalless by Al Khor last week.

Al Arabi are now fifth in the table with 13 points, so they are sure to go all out against Al Wakrah, eighth with eight points, in their bid to be back among the top four.

Al Khor take on Al Gharafa in the other fixture.

Al Khor, 10th with five points, badly need points to stay away from the danger zone, whereas Al Gharafa, fourth with 14 points, will be satisfied with nothing less than a victory.