Al Markhiya upstaged Al Shamal 2-1 in an absorbing postponed match from Week 9 of the 2022-2023 season QNB Stars League at the Qatar SC Stadium on Wednesday.

The winning goal for Al Markhiya came in the dying moments of stoppage time (90+7) from their 21-year-old midfielder Ayoub Assal, who produced a telling strike off a superb Jameel Al Yahmadi assist to shock the opponents.

Earlier, while Driss Fettouhi scored off a penalty for Al Markhiya in the 25th minute, Al Shamal equalized through Majed Mohammed in the 31st minute.

With this victory, Al Markhiya moved to seventh spot in the rankings with 21 points from 19 games (on goal difference with Al Ahli), while Al Shamal remained 10th with 17 points, also from 19 matches.

Al Markhiya opened the scoring when Assal was brought down by an onrushing Al Shamal goalkeeper Yousef Abdullah Balideh following a corner-kick action. The decision was made following a VAR review and Fettouhi produced a strong left-foot kick from the spot to shake the net.

Al Shamal responded with a reply quickly with a fine field goal. Jordanian Ali Olwan put through Majed Mohammed in the clear with the pass and the latter ambled across to score with ease delighting his team-mates.

There on, both teams pushed hard making many moves, but lacked at the finish.

Al Markhiya’s Jose Correia got two very good chances but, on both occasions, he fumbled. The first was in the 57th minute when while being face-to-face with the Al Shamal goalkeeper, he failed to go past.

Later in the 65th minute, he had another chance, but he kicked the ball well over the goal post.

Al Shamal were unfortunate in the final seconds of the match when their Argentinian player Matias Nani connected a super header, even while colliding with a rival challenger, but the ball just went on to skim the centre of the crossbar and go over.