Umm Salal leave it late to defeat Arabi 2-1

Umm Salal needed a last-minute goal from Omar Ibrahim to edge out Al Arabi 2-1 in a entertaining QSL encounter at Qatar SC stadium on Friday evening. The game looked to be heading to a 1-1 draw, before Ibrahim made a surging run and slotting the ball into the back on the net to ensure the Orange Fortress will end the QSL campaign on a high. 

Al Arabi started the first half the better, and should of perhaps taken a lead when Ali Jasimi picked out Paulinho with a clipped cross unfortunately for the Brazilian attacker his header flew over the cross-bar. 

Against the run of play, Umm Salal took the lead through their Ivorian striker Yannick Sagbo who made a well timed run to slot past the Al Arabi keeper Rajab Hamza for his 15th goal of the season ten minutes before half time. 

Osvaldo Olivera’s side didn’t let their heads slip, and found a way back into the tie five minutes from the break. Nigerian striker Imoh Ezekiel was hauled down in the penalty spot, giving the referee little choice but to point to the spot. Paulinho stepped up for Arabi, dispatched the penalty for his first goal of the campaign. The first half ended honours even at 1-1. 

The second half was a relatively tame encounter with both sides struggling to create many chances of note. That certainly changed with ten minutes left to play when the referee awarded Al Arabi a penalty, after striker Ahmed Khalfan was fouled by Umm Salal defender Jawad Ahannach. This time Arabi captain Boualem Khoukhi stepped up for his side, however his strike down the middle of the goal was easily saved by Umm Salal stopper Baba Malick. 

With the tie heading for a draw,  substitute Omar Ibrahim made a surging run beating two Arabi defenders, calmly slotting the ball past a onrushing Rajab Hamza to give the Orange Fortress all three points.