Qatar SC face Al Gharafa in Week 1 of the 2023-2024 season Expo Stars League on Thursday, August 17. The kick-off is at 6.30pm at the Khalifa International Stadium.

The match is expected to be highly entertaining considering the age-long rivalry between the two clubs as well as the expectations of a strong start in the league for both of them.

Both teams have strengthened their squads ahead of the season, with a number of new players joining their ranks.

The two teams finished mid-table last season, with Qatar SC ending fifth while Al Gharafa was a place lower.

For Thursday’s match, Qatar SC coach Youssef Safri will be looking on the likes of Abdullah Al Ahrak, Abdullah Moftah, Ali Malallah, Abdulrahman Al Karbi and Sebastian Soria as well as the foreign professionals Bruno Tabata, Ali Al Saudi, Raul Sanda, Bashar Resan, Malango, Javier Martinez and Badr Bennon for victory.

Al Gharafa, on the other hand, with Portuguese coach Pedro Martinez in the saddle, have Algerian Yacine Brahimi, Tunisian Ferjani Sassi, who is coming from Al Duhail this season, Ivorian Yohan Boli, former Al Rayyan player Farid Wilayat, Othman Al Yahri, Nasser Al Ahrak, Amro Seraj, Yousef Hassan, Homam Al Ameen and Ahmed Alaaeldin to prosecute the match.

Qatar SC had their pre-season training in the Spanish city of Alicante, while Al Gharafa were in Slovakia for preparation for the new season.