Qatar SC defeated Muaither 1-0 in Round 5 (Group A) opener of the 2023-2024 season Ooredoo Cup at the Grand Hamad Stadium of Al Arabi club on Saturday.

Muaither’s Ramon Gines’ own goal in the 29th minute made the difference between both teams in the thrilling encounter.

With the result, Qatar SC finished their group engagements with seven points, while Muaither remained without any point after five rounds of action.

Both teams entered the match with the determination to win and improve their rankings in the table.

The bulk of the chances in the opening minutes of the match fell to Muaither, who were unable to convert the opportunities, primarily thanks to the superb form of Qatar SC goalkeeper Sataa Al Abbasi, who stood between Muaither and an early goal.

With Qatar SC getting more into the match as time wore on, they eventually got their opener in the 29th minute through an own goal as Ramon diverted a Hassan Ahmad set-piece into his own net while attempting to head the ball away.

As much as Muaither tried to regain the lost ground, the scoreline remained unchanged as both teams headed into the dugout at halftime.

A goalmouth scramble, following a corner kick, could have led to Qatar SC increasing their lead in the 55th minute, but Ben Malango came up with a miscued shot.

Despite Muaither’s late rally, especially in the dying minutes of the match, the Qatar SC defence remained unshaken as The Kings ran away with the maximum points.