Al Alhi take bragging rights after beating Arabi 2-1 in  first derby of the season
 
Al Arabi lost their second game of the season and dented their early title hopes as they succumbed to a 2-1 home defeat to fierce local rivals, Al Ahli, in Friday’s late QSL kick-off at the Hamad Stadium.
 
Al Arabi were hoping their new star summer singing, former Chilean international and Inter Milan midfielder, Luis Jiménez, would find his feet for his QSL debut and the club’s first derby with Al Alhi in the 2016/17 season but the midfielder wearing number 30 had little impact on the game.
 
As expected with any local Qatari derby, the game maintained a frenetic pace throughout. With possession balanced and both teams stretching themselves from box to box in the opening half, the first clear chance fell to Al Ahli’s Congolese danger man, Firmin Mubele, who produced an amazing piece of skill to put the The Brigadiers one up after 24 minutes. After a scuffed shot from a teammate left the ball at his feet, Mubele proceeded to flick it over a defender on his right foot before watching it drop and hammering it home on his left to give the brigadiers a 1-0 lead.
 
Al Arabi didn’t let their heads drop and continued to look for openings and on the 36^th minute, Jiminez had his first QSL attempt but his shot sailed high over the bar from 25 yards out. Al Arabi had a good run of possession and defender Mohammed Juma was a constant threat down the left wing, pushing Al Ahli's right back to make some fine tackles.
 
Against the run of play, Al Ahli were gifted a penalty after number 23, Ahmed Mohamed Al Sayed, attempted to clear the ball from the edge of his own 18 yard box but instead struck the ball at his own man, Ahmed Fathi, hitting his arm and leaving the referee with little other choice than to point to the spot.


 
Al Ahli’s talismanic captain, Meshal Abdulla, stepped up to convert the penalty and made it 2-0 with a finish that would have made Antonin Panenka proud, dinking it down the middle of the goal and leaving the goalkeeper, who dived to his right, watching it sail into the back of his net. The tie went in at 2-0 at on the break for The Brigadiers.
 
The second half started much like the first with both teams eager for the ball. The first chance of the second half fell to Al Arabi’s Brazilian attacker Paulinho who jumped beautifully to meet a cross but his powerful header was just wide of the post.
 
Mubele continued to cause trouble for The Dream Team’s defence down the other end of the field and after 60 minutes of play drew two fine saves from Al Arabi’s goalkeeper, Rajab Hamza who managed to block his thumping first effort from the edge of the box and then parry the follow up effort at close range.
 
Al Arabi continued to press in front of their home crown and on the 91^st minute was awarded a consolation goal as Imoh Ezekiel’s fine fun into the 18 yard box and low, fast paced cross caused Al Ahli’s Dabenke to stab it into the back of his own net.
 
The game finished 2-1 and the three points will now see Al Ahli climb above Al Arabi in the league, sitting on seven points after four games.