The Week 13 matches of the 2024-2025 season Ooredoo Stars League generated more momentum, with teams fighting hard to gain points adding to the excitement of the contests and the battle for being in the top four and for teams trying to escape the relegation zone increasingly becoming more evident.

RESULTS

Al Shahania beat Al Khor 2-1

Al Gharafa beat Al Ahli 2-0

Al Sadd lost to Qatar SC 0-1

Al Rayyan drew Al Duhail 0-0

Al Shamal beat Umm Salal 4-0

Al Wakrah beat Al Arabi 4-3

As many as 17 goals were scored in the six matches of the week, showing a drop in the scoring rate compared to the previous round, which had witnessed 31 goals. The most number of goals came in the match between Al Wakrah and Al Arabi (seven).

The biggest victory margin was achieved by Al Shamal at the expense of Umm Salal (4-0).

Al Gharafa, Qatar SC, Al Rayyan, Al Duhail and Al Shamal teams came out with clean sheets. While five matches saw a result, Al Rayyan and Al Duhail played out a goalless draw.

The chase to be at the top spot continues with the jostle among teams to be in the first four providing more thrill. Al Gharafa were the most prominent beneficiary by advancing to the second spot, taking advantage of the stumbles of Al Sadd and Al Ahli, who fell to second and third place respectively, and the difference with leaders Al Duhail being reduced to just two points.

Al Duhail maintained their lead with 29 points, two points ahead of Al Gharafa, who moved up from fourth place to second place, gaining from Al Sadd’s stumble and, at the same time, their own win over Al Ahli, to reach 27 points, compared to 25 points for Al Sadd, who suffered their fourth loss this season, and Al Ahli, who lost for the second time to be on 25 points and in fourth place, on goal difference.

As for the rest of the standings, Al Shamal moved up to fifth place at the expense of Al Rayyan, reaching 19 points, two points behind after achieving their sixth win of the season against Umm Salal, while Al Rayyan dropped to sixth place with 17 points, on goal difference from Al Wakrah, who are in seventh place, and ahead of Al Shahania, eighth with 14 points, the same as that of Umm Salal, who are in ninth place, on goal difference.

Al Arabi are in 10th place with 13 points after suffering their sixth loss this season, Qatar SC are in 11th place with 13 points, on goal difference, and Al Khor are at the bottom in 12th place with seven points.

The week’s opening match saw Al Shahania rally for a comeback 2-1 win against Al Khor in a clash that saw three red cards being flashed; one for Al Shahania and two for Al Khor, who eventually paid the price for the loss of players and failed to defend their 1-0 lead gained in the first half, suffering their eighth loss this season. Al Khor had gone up through a goal from Ibrahim Kalla, before Al Shahania responded twice through Mohammed Abu Shanab and Dutchman Pelle van Amersfoort.

Al Gharafa defeated Al Ahli 2-0 in a strong contest where that both teams entered with the sole ambition of winning in order to be in contention for the title. The goals for The Cheetahs were scored by Rodrigo Moreno and Ferjani Sassi.

This was Al Gharafa’s eighth win of the season taking them to the second place in ranking, also gaining from the stumbles of other challenging teams. For Al Ahli, it was their only second loss of the season and saw them slip fourth place from being third, on goal difference from Al Sadd (now in third spot).

The opening match of the second day saw Qatar SC achieved a valuable 1-0 win against defending champions Al Sadd. The only goal of the match being an own goal by Al Sadd’s Moroccan defender Romain Saiss who, in an attempt to clear the ball following a corner kick, inadvertently headed the ball into his own net. The result meant that Qatar SC overturned a series of losses and registered their fourth victory of the season. For Al Sadd, is was their fourth loss of the season.

A goalless draw decided the summit clash between Al Rayyan and Al Duhail. The Lions ended up with 10 players on the field following the expulsion of Abdulaziz Hatem in the 55th minute. The stalemate was a second one for both the teams this season.

Al Shamal scored a valuable win over Umm Salal, compensating for their loss in the previous round. Al Shamal scored through Baghdad Bounedjah (two goals), Naim Sliti and Younes Belhanda. It was Al Shamal’s sixth win of the season, while Umm Salal fell to their seventh loss.

The match between Al Arabi and Al Wakrah ended with an exciting 4-3 victory for The Blue Wave. It was also the first match of the Ooredoo Stars League played at Stadium 974 – a sterling FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 venue which has now hosted many matches and tournaments the last of which was the French Super Cup, and prior to that two matches of the 2024 Intercontinental Cup.

Al Wakrah’s goals were scored by Jacinto Dala, Aissa Laidouni, Suhaib Gannan and Ricardo Gomes, while Al Arabi’s goals came from Marco Verratti, Rodri Sanchez and Youssef Msakni. The match witnessed the expulsion of Italian Marco Verratti.

In the top scorers’ list, Algerian star and Al Shamal striker Baghdad Bounedjah widened the gap with his closest pursuant by reaching a tally of 13 goals, after his brace against Umm Salal. In second spot is Al Rayyan’s Roger Guedes with 10 goals, followed by Al Shahania’s Van Amersfoort, who has so far scored nine goals.

The league will continue with the matches in Week 14, as follows:

January 29, 2025

Al Rayyan vs Al Gharafa (Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium)

Al Khor vs Al Ahli (Al Khor Stadium)

January 30, 2025

Qatar SC vs Al Shamal (Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium)

Al Arabi vs Al Sadd (Al Thumama Stadium)

January 31, 2025

Umm Salal vs Al Duhail (Grand Hamad Stadium)

Al Wakrah vs Al Shahania (Stadium 974)