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Al Gharafa beat Qatar Stars League rookies Mesaimeer by a single goal at the Thani Bin Jassim stadium in Round 2. The first half was a story of missed chances for the Cheetahs as both Dioko and Masoud Shojaei came close a number of times but lacked that cutting edge in front of goal.<br />
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At the other end Mesaimeer forward Erivelto Silva came closest with a powerful shot on 39 minutes. However the shot was straight at the keeper and the game looked to be goalless at the interval.<br />
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But with 4 minutes extra time in the first half, Gharafa mustered one last attack down the right wing, and new signing Yassine Chikhaoui did well to get past his man and send a low cross for Qatari attacking midfielder Moayad Hassan who slotted home with a cool finish (46’).<br />
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In the second half Hassan hit the upright with a quick turn and snap shot at goal but unfortunately for Gharafa the ball didn’t bounce kindly into the net(75’).<br />
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Again Erivelto Silva came closest for the Torches when a deflected shot looped up and at one point looked to have caught Gharafa keeper Qasem Burhan off-guard but an athletic leap just about saved his blushes.<br />
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In all honesty Mesaimeer never posed much of a threat the entire night as they were reduced to shooting from distance.<br />
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New signing Alain Dioko was uncharacteristically quiet and failed to show the same level of clinical finishing which made him QSL top scorer for the past two consecutive seasons.<br />
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Al Gharafa saw the game out and picked up their first three points of the season.