Al Wakrah defeated Al Ahli 7-3 in Round 9 (Group A) of the 2021-2022 season Ooredoo Cup at the Al Khor Stadium on Thursday.

Hazem Shehata (28th and 60th minutes), Mohamed Benyettou (39th-minute penalty, 69th and 90+1 minutes), Ousmane Coulibaly (58th minute) and Nasser Al Yazidi (80th minute) scored for Al Wakrah.

Hossein Kanaani (25th minute), substitute Hassan Ahmed (72nd minute) and Abdulrasheed Ibrahim (75th minute) scored for Al Ahli.

Al Wakrah moved on to 18 points following their sixth victory from eight matches.

Al Ahli have one more game to play, but they have only six points. 

That seven of the game’s total tally of 10 goals came in the second half underlined the brisk activity after the sides changed ends.

The match was evenly fought in the first half.

Al Wakrah took the early initiative, with Benyettou and Abdulghani Munir at the helm of their attacks.

One such move resulted in Munir sending a weak header straight to Al Ahli goalkeeper Ivanildo Rodriguez in the 21st minute off a cross from the left by Benyettou.

Soon, Al Ahli unexpectedly took the lead through Kanaani.

Al Wakrah did not lag behind in equalizing the score as Shehata capitalized on a goalmouth melee by sending home a rebound.

After Al Ahli’s Aldoukali Alsayed skied a free-kick, Al Wakrah made it 2-1, with Benyettou converting a penalty awarded for a foul on his team-mate Nasser Al Yazidi.

However, the second half witnessed a flurry of goals and Al Wakrah cruised to an easy victory.

Shehata added one  more goal, Benyettou two more, and Coulibaly and Al Yazidi too got on to the scoring act.

Goals from Al Ahli’s Hassan Ahmed and Abdulrasheed could only reduce the margin of their defeat.