Al Khor edged Al Markhiya 2-0 at the Al Janoub Stadium on Friday in play-off to determine which team would feature in next season’s top flight.

The play-off pitted 11th-placed team in the 2019-20 season QNB Stars League (Al Khor) against Second Division runners-up of this season (Al Markhiya).

QNB Stars League’s basement side Al Shahania had directly been relegated to the Second Division, while Second Division champions Al Kharaitiyat earned promotion to the top flight.

A bad patch saw Al Khor end up 11th and go into the play-off. However, they were given a tough fight by Al Markhiya before winning by two extra-time goals.

Ahmed Hammoudan (99th minute) and Abdulla Al Moraisi (112nd minute) scored for Al Khor after regular time ended goalless.

The match regulations stipulated that in the event of a tie, extra time of 30 minutes (15 minutes in each half) was to be played. Had that also ended in a draw, penalty shoot-out would have decided the winners.

Al Khor dominated Al Markhiya throughout with 64 per cent possession. The Knights forced 10 corners as against two by Al Markhiya, whose woes compounded when Luciano Vasquez, nicknamed Lucho, was sent off soon after they conceded their second goal.

Al Markhiya goalkeeper Mohammed Saeed held fort against the rival attacks for most of the game, but for two late goals.

Al Khor’s Ibrahim Amada had his rising shot parried by Saeed in the 39th minute.

After Al Khor’s Anas Ibrahim sent his shot wide of the target, Lucho and Al Khor’s Helal Mohammed both headed over the bar and Helal’s team-mate Tiago Bezerra headed wide as Al Markhiya went defensive.

Hammoudan and Robert Alexander Melki made goal attempts for Al Khor in the second half, but were unsuccessful and the game went into extra time.

Hammoudan gave Al Khor the breakthrough by heading in substitute Mohammed El Sayed’s low cross from the right in the first half of extra time.

Al Moraisi found the mark with a chip shot over the head of an advancing Al Markhiya goalkeeper after Aden Ali failed to clear a through pass from deep into the Al Khor area.