Al Duhail defeated Al Markhiya 1-0 in Week 4 of the 2022-2023 season QNB Stars League at the Khalifa International Stadium on Monday.

This was the last year’s runners-up' second victory of the season and the winning strike came from their South Korean star Nam Tae-Hee in the 54th minute.

Al Markhiya held sway for a long time after Al Duhail’s initial flurry at the start and the promoted team even looked threatening, making several forays.

The Red Knights, however, came back strongly in the second session. In the end, Yousef Farahat cut across a good cross and Nasser Saleh Al Yazidi set up the ball nicely for Nam to make the perfect strike from the centre of the penalty box.

A second successful strike, which was disallowed, had come in the 76th minute. Farahat had sent the ball into the goal but only after substitute Suhaib Gannan had taken it out of the hands of goalkeeper Loukay Ashour who had flung a full stretch.

The referee said no goal after a VAR check.

Al Markhiya could consider themselves a little unlucky as a powerful Jugurtha Hamroun hit struck the crossbar in the 26th minute and flew away. Hamroun was helped by a fine cross from Ayman Hussein.

Towards the end too, Al Markhiya - who began the new season by beating holders Al Sadd - made several attempts but a solid Al Duhail goalkeeper Shehab Ellethy stood guard. 

In the 73rd minute a Driss Fettouhi shot brushed the head of Duhail skipper Luiz Martin and flew in taking Shehab by surprise but the goalkeeper still made a great save.

Ten minutes later, Shehab was again tested by Tilal Ali and Fettouhi, but he foiled the attempts.

Earlier at the start, Al Duhail came close to scoring in the 16th minute when Michael Olunga’s kick off a volley went just wide off the left post.