Al Markhiya coach Abdullah Mubarak spoke to the media ahead of their 2022-2023 season QNB Stars League Week 5 match against Al Wakrah.

“A difficult match awaits us against Al Wakrah, especially since they were ranked third in the standings last season. Al Wakrah are one of the best teams in terms of level and results. They are a team that has good harmony since last season and have players with high capabilities who are good at individual solutions and scoring goals.

“What distinguishes Al Wakrah the most is that they excel in all departments of the game, so we need to be at the top of our focus in terms of organizing the team. We must also focus on the weaknesses of our opponents and put pressure on them.

“The return of Ayoub Azzi gives strength in the defensive line. The team began to improve despite the frustration from the loss against Al Duhail in the last round. The performance was good in the match. There is a noticeable continuous development from one match to another,” said Abdullah Mubarak.

Al Markhiya player Ali Saeed Al Mohannadi said, “The preparations are going on well for the Al Wakrah match. We are doing well offensively and we always strive to take advantage of the opportunities that we have in front of the opponents’ goal. But sometimes, we are not successful in finding the target. That is what happened against Al Duhail. But all forwards are doing their best to score goals and take advantage of the opportunities.”