Reigning champions Al Sadd beat Al Sailiya 2-0 in Week 1 of the 2021-2022 season QNB Stars League at the Al Gharafa Stadium on Sunday.

Boualem Khoukhi (23rd minute) and Rodrigo Tabata (33rd) minute scored the goals for Al Sadd when The Wolves dominated the proceedings in the first half.

In the second half, Al Sailiya put together a much better co-ordinated action.

Al Sadd captain Hassan Al Haydous fired the first serious attacking shot of the match, a left-footed driver that narrowly missed the goalpost to the left of Al Sailiya goalkeeper Abdurahman Mahamat in the seventh minute.

Experienced midfielder Tabata curled in a well-taken free-kick from outside the Al Sailiya box, but the deflection by Guilherme Torres was tad wayward in the 13th minute.

Seconds later, on two back-to-back corner kicks, the Al Sailiya goalkeeper remained alert to stop a couple of snap-headers by Khoukhi and Torres.

In between, feared striker Baghdad Bounedjah hit the crossbar with a header as the Al Sadd forwardline orchestrated a series of dangerous moves.

Four minutes later, new signing Andre Ayew drilled a low powerful shot that got deflected by Al Sailiya’s Magdi Siddiq, but the goalkeeper parried the ball above the crossbar with a high jump as he fell backwards.

Al Sadd opened the scoring when unmarked Khoukhi deflected a low cross from Bounedjah into the Al Sailiya net.

Exactly 10 minutes later, Bounedjah found Tabata with low cross from the edge of the box. Tabata anticipated the pass well and flicked the ball into the net with ease on first touch.

Close to the hour mark, Al Sadd coach Xavi benched Al Haydous and Bounedjah. Goal-scorer Tabata also joined them on the bench a little later as Al Sadd rested key players ahead of the next round.

Al Sailiya nearly pulled off a goal when, in the 63rd minute, Ramin Resaein hit the Al Sadd crossbar on a direct free-kick. Adama Diomande attempted a header off the rebound, but Al Sadd keeper Meshal Barsham pouched the deflection.

A few minutes later, substitute Fahad Khalfan drilled a shot from outside the box, but the Al Sadd keeper blocked the move with relative ease.

Neither side managed to score in the second half as Al Sadd picked up three points from the entertaining clash.