Tonight at the Jassim bin Hamad QSL defending champions Lekhwiya were made to work for their 2-0 win over Al Sailiya. A goal in either half was enough for the Red Knights to claim all three points, the first was scored by Boudiaf, whilst the second was scored late on but was well worth the wait as Msakni finished off a classy move.

Al Sailiya started brightly and was able to pin back Lekhwiya into their final third but the QSL Champs rode the pressure and were soon able to find their rhythm.

The first real chance of the game also turned out to be the only goal of the first half. Vladimir Weiss was causing trouble down the left flank, the Slovak cut in looking to pass but his through-ball was cleared by Dragos Grigore. However Lekhwiya’s midfield metronome was on the edge of the box, he intercepted the clearance and quickly struck a low drive which caught the leg of Mostafa Mohammed and wrong footed the keeper as it went in (34’).

In the second half Sailiya pressured but they couldn’t find a way past the Lekhwiya defence. Indeed they failed to work the Lekhwiya keeper throughout most of the second half.

There was however one slither of a chance for Sailiya when a ball was floated in and new signing Luciano went up for the header, Lekhwiya keeper Claude Amin missed the ball completely and instead punch the head of Luciano who otherwise might have connected with the ball (62).

Then substitute Msakni for Lekhwiya was put through by Boudiaf but the Tunisian didn’t connect with the ball properly and Sailiya keeper Gregory Gomis saved their blushes.

Al Sailiya began to dominate possession as they looked to equalise and won a freekick on the edge of the box. Luciano stepped up and sent a clever low curling effort around the wall but it was just wide of the post (84’).

Lekhwiya looked to have sealed the win just two minutes later when substitute Muntari leaped higher and headed in a great effort from inside the box, but bizarrely he was deemed by the officials to have fouled the defender in the process.

It didn’t matter in the end as an inspired Nam Tae-Hee back heel in the box followed by a cool side footed finish by Msakni secured all three points for the Red Knights! (90+4).