The 2022-2023 season QNB Stars League’s Week 5 matches, played on 29th, 30th and 31st August, 2022, witnessed exciting contests. A total of 13 goals were scored and three of the six games ended in draws.

The fifth round saw Al Arabi lose for the first time as they lost 0-3 to Al Duhail. Yet, The Dream Team are topping the table. Al Rayyan scored their first point after suffering four consecutive defeats.

Al Markhiya held in-form Al Wakrah to a goalless draw, halting the latter’s winning run in the third and fourth rounds, while Qatar SC achieved their second victory this season.

Week 5 witnessed three expulsions, all in the dramatic match between Al Ahli and Al Gharafa, which also saw Al Gharafa coach Andrea Stramaccioni being red-carded.

THE RESULTS

Al Wakrah drew Al Markhiya        0-0

Qatar SC bt Al Shamal          1-0

Umm Salal drew Al Rayyan  0-0

Al Sailiya lost to Al Sadd       1-2

Al Ahli drew Al Gharafa3-3

Al Arabi lost to Al Duhail      0-3

The week’s action started off with the goalless draw between Al Wakrah and Al Markhiya. It was Al Wakrah’s second draw, the first being their 1-1 result against Al Gharafa in Week 2.

Despite Al Wakrah’s many attempts to score, especially by league top scorer Jacinto Dala and Mohamed Benyettou, rival goalkeeper Louay Ashour and the defence denied them.

Nevertheless, Al Wakrah maintained the second spot in the table with 11 points. Al Markhiya are in ninth place with five points, the same as Umm Salal but ahead on better goal difference.

In the second match, Abdulrahman Al Jassim’s goal helped Qatar SC beat Al Shamal 1-0 and register their second victory (they had beaten Al Sailiya 2-1 in Week 3).

Qatar SC are in seventh place with seven points, the same as Al Sadd but behind on goal difference, while Al Shamal crashed to their third defeat and are in eighth place with six points.

Al Rayyan opened their account in terms of points following their 0-0 draw with Umm Salal, but remained at the bottom of the table. Umm Salal raised their points tally to five and stood in the 10th spot.

The match witnessed a severe injury to Al Rayyan defender Yasser Hamad, which will keep him out of action for several weeks.

Al Sadd got back to the winning path (they had lost 1-2 to Al Gharafa in Week 4) by beating Al Sailiya with a 2-1 margin.

The reigning champions, who had earlier beaten Al Ahli in Week 3, are now in sixth position with seven points, whereas Al Sailiya remained in 11th place with three points following their fourth defeat.

In one of the most dramatic matches of the season, Al Ahli and Al Gharafa played out a 3-3 draw. Three players (two from Al Ahli and one from Al Gharafa) were sent off in addition to the expulsion of Al Gharafa’s Italian coach.

Al Ahli and Al Gharafa are placed in fourth and fifth position respectively with eight points.

The round’s signature match saw last season’s runners-up Al Duhail record a 3-0 win over table toppers Al Arabi (12 points). It was Al Arabi’s first loss after four successive victories.

Al Duhail took their tally to 10 points.

In terms of scorers, Al Wakrah forward Jacinto Dala continued to top the list with six goals. In second place are six players – Ayman Hussein of Al Markhiya, Yazan Al Naimat of Al Ahli, Yousef Msakni of Al Arabi, Baghdad Bounedjah of Al Sadd, Yacine Brahimi of Al Gharafa and Hossein Kanaani of Al Ahli (all three goals).

The QNB Stars League’s Week 6 matches will be played on Tuesday and Wednesday, as follows:

Tuesday, 6th September, 2022

Al Sadd vs Al Shamal

Al Sailiya vs Al Arabi

Al Gharafa vs Umm Salal

Wednesday, 7th September, 2022

Al Rayyan vs Al Markhiya

Al Ahli vs Al Wakrah

Al Duhail vs Qatar SC