Al Shahania claim a point against Umm Salal with 1-1 draw

 Round 16 of the 2016/17 QSL season came to a close with Al Shahania and Umm Salal taking a point each as the teams drew 1-1 in their 18:30 kick off at Al Arabi stadium.

Al Shahania carried the form into this game that saw them claim a draw against fellow relegation rivals Muaither SC last time out and The Oryxes likely left feeling they should have done so with the full three points after playing the better football over the 90 minutes.

Al Shahania took the lead on the 23rd minute thanks to a fine finish from Qatari international and on-loan Al Rayyan forward, Fahad Khalfan. Al Shahania were awarded a free kick on the halfway line which was taken quickly, catching Umm Salal sleeping. The quick free kick was played long and found Jean-Paul Mangoua on the edge of the box who controlled it well before laying a beautifully weighted ball into the path of a running Khalfan who hit the ball first time and sent it under Umm Salal’s goalkeeper to make it 1-0.

Khalfan should have made it 2-0 just two minutes later after a cross from the right wing beat Umm Salal’s entire defence and found the Qatari international waiting at the back post and in front of an open goal just five yards out. Despite connecting well with his head, Khalfan couldn’t put it on target and it went well wide of the post.Al Shahania controlled the ball well for the remainder of the first half but couldn’t find a second and went into the tunnel 1-0 up.

 The first 15 minutes of the second half was a scrappy affair, with plenty of stoppages breaking up play as both teams went in hard and conceded free kicks all over the park. On the 58th minute, Umm Salal were awarded a free kick 25 yards out which was beautifully converted to level the score at 1-1. Umm Salal’s Brazilian number 5, Anderson Martins, hit a stunning free kick to level the score and bag his first of the season and the club after his right footed free kick got up and over the five-man wall and curled into the top right hand corner of the goal, leaving Al Shahania’s goalkeeper with little chance.

There were celebrations and then confusion on the 68th minute when Al Shahania thought they had taken the lead after it looked as though a fierce shot from Abdulrahman Diri had hit the back of the net. Replays showed that the ball had in fact hit the side netting with such force that it broke the net and then subsequently hit the back of the net, much to the disappointment of Al Shahania.

Al Shahania, desperate for the three points to avoid the relegation battle, pressed right up until the final whistle but were unable to find the decisive winner and both teams left with a point. Umm Salal stay mid-table while Al Shahania stay in 12th place and make it eight draws so far this season.