Al Gharafa has ended their drought tonight as they defeated Al Sailiya 3-1. Before this match Gharafa had endured five matches without a win, which included three losses. This slump of form also resulted in the club parting ways with their Head Coach Pericles Chamusca.

Gharafa were playing this match under the guidance of their Reserve Team Head Coach Habib Sadeq.

Yet any pressure that Habib Sadeq may have been under was quickly relieved when Gharafa scored the opening goal of the game. Aden Ali Aden crossed into the box from the left flank and an unmarked Masoud Shojaei was able to head it past the Sailiya goalkeeper Gomis (25’). 

All of that was undone however, when Gharafa defender Alimahdi Ali hit the ball into the back of his own net in the 36th minute.

Sailiya seemed to finally have gotten a foothold in the game but then just four minutes later Gharafa restored their lead.

Then Alain Dioko latched onto a through ball and fired a shot only to see it hit the post but Abdelaziz Hatem was there for the rebound and he managed to poke it into the back of the net for the second goal of the night for the Cheetahs (38’).

Just before the end of the first half, Gharafa increased their advantage when in the 45th minute Alain Dioko, who has been under the spotlight for his inability to reproduce the form of last year, finally found the back of the net. The relief on the striker’s face was visible. This is his second goal this season.

The first half ended with Gharafa in a commanding 3-1 lead. 

The second half saw both teams creating chances but neither team could find the back of the net. It was a well-fought win for Gharafa, one that will help boost their confidence, having gotten back to winning ways.

Sailiya on the other hand will have to find a way to plug their porous defence which has leaked in 20 goals in nine matches so far this season – the second worst in the QSL right now.