Umm Salal face Al Sadd in Week 2 of the 2022-2023 season QNB Stars League. The kick-off is at 17:30 at the Khalifa International Stadium on Tuesday, 9th August, 2022.

Defending champions Al Sadd enter the clash smarting from their opening-round 3-4 defeat to Al Markhiya, while Umm Salal are aiming to recover from their 0-1 loss against Al Ahli.

The loss to Al Markhiya also ended Al Sadd’s run of 47 consecutive wins in the league and as such they would be eager for a fightback. The former champions have been hampered by the absence of many of their star players (now training with the Qatar national team for the FIFA World Cup 2022).

They, however, still have leading stars in Spaniard Santi Cazorla, South Korean Jung Woo-Young and Ghanaian Andre Ayew besides many new young players under new coach Spaniard Juan Manuel Lillo ‘Juanma’.

Umm Salal, on the other hand, would be looking for a positive result under the guidance of their national coach Wesam Rizik, who has the services of Ivorian forward Jonathan Kodjia, Dutch Dries Saddiki, Portuguese Joao Carlos Teixera and Uzbek Sardor Rashidov among others.

Umm Salal will surely be a tough and fierce competitor and look to exploit Al Sadd’s vulnerability (if any) while aiming to log the first three points.

The match is expected to be closely fought and provide thrills.