The 2021-2022 QNB Stars League Week 4 fixtures saw exciting action and a total of 21 goals were scored, the most for any round so far this season.

The matches, played on 26th and 27th September, 2021, witnessed four victories and two draws.

The results:

Al Duhail bt Al Sailiya   5-0

Al Sadd bt Al Shamal     7-2

Qatar SC lost to Al Arabi 0-2

Al Gharafa bt Umm Salal 1-0

Al Wakrah drew Al Ahli 0-0

Al Rayyan drew Al Khor 2-2

Although Al Duhail played brilliantly and scored five goals against Al Sailiya without reply, Al Sadd also responded strongly by beating Al Shamal 7-2 and displaced Al Duhail from the top of the standings by virtue of having scored more number of goals. Al Sadd and Al Duhail both are on 12 points and their goal difference is 11, but Al Sadd scored 16 goals and conceded five as against Al Duhail’s 14 and three. Naturally, the title race is hotting up especially between Al Sadd and Al Duhail.

Kenyan striker Michael Olunga recorded his name in Al Duhail’s history by scoring five goals in a match, after he came on as a substitute in the second half of their match against Al Sailiya.

Al Duhail were tied with Al Sailiya goalless in the first half, but were a transformed lot after the entry of Olunga in the 46th minute. He scored in the 56th, 62nd, 68th, 79th and 85th minutes. Al Sailiya slipped to 10th place in the standings with three points following their third loss this season.

Al Sadd also continued their strong display and outplayed promoted Al Shamal 7-2. Ali Asad (10th minute), Baghdad Bounedjah (13th and 89th minutes), Andre Ayew (15th minute), Yousef Abdulrazaq (57th minute) and Rodrigo Tabata (85th minute) scored the goals for Al Sadd, who were also helped by Al Shamal’s Matias Nani’s own goal in the 54th minute.

Mohsen Al Yazidi (12th minute) and Khalifa Saad (87th minute) scored the goals for Al Shamal, who remained on three points and are in ninth place.

Al Arabi also continued their good form and, in the process, notched up their third victory after beating Qatar SC 2-0. They are placed third with nine points. Mehrdad Mohammadi (41st-minute penalty) and Aaron Boupendza (50th minute) scored the goals.

Al Arabi and Al Gharafa both are on nine points, but the former are placed ahead on better goal difference (+3 as against Al Gharafa’s +2).

Qatar SC remained on one point and are positioned last in the table.

Al Gharafa too registered their third victory by defeating Umm Salal, Cheick Diabate netting the all-important goal. They thus compensated for their loss to Al Duhail in the last round. Umm Salal are sixth with three points.

Al Rayyan were locked in a 2-2 draw with Al Khor in an exciting match. Ismail Haddad (first minute) and Said Brahimi (30th minute) scored the goals for Al Khor, while Yohan Boli (20th minute) and Yacine Brahimi (57th-minute penalty) were the scorers for Al Rayyan. Although Al Khor took the lead twice, Al Rayyan staged a strong comeback.

Al Rayyan, who were without their new Colombian star James Rodriguez, and Al Khor have three and two points and are placed eighth and 11th respectively.

Al Wakrah and Al Ahli played out a goalless draw in the other fixture.

So, five teams (Umm Salal, Al Ahli, Al Rayyan, Al Khor and Qatar SC) are still looking for their first victory.

Al Duhail’s Olunga is topping the list of scorers with seven goals, followed by Al Sadd’s Baghdad Bounedjah (four goals).

The 2021-2022 QNB Stars League’s Week 5 matches will be played on 1st  and 2nd October, 2021.

Friday, 1st October

Al Wakrah vs Al Duhail

Al Arabi vs Al Sadd

Al Sailiya vs Al Khor

Saturday, 2nd October

Umm Salal vs Al Shamal

Al Ahli vs Al Rayyan

Al Gharafa vs Qatar SC