Umm Salal surpassed Al Wakrah 5-0 in the first round in Group A of the 2023-2024 season Ooredoo Cup at the Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium on Saturday.

The last season's finalists registered their convincing win with goals from Khaled Waleed (15th minute), Abdullah Khaled (44th minute), Andy Delort (71st minute), substitute Mashaal Al Shammari (75th minute) and Ali Afif (90th-minute penalty).

After a somewhat slow start to the game, Khaled Waleed opened the scoring for Umm Salal in the 15th minute after exchanging a one-two pass with Victor Lekhal following an Al Wakrah defensive error. The return pass found the Qatari midfielder in an unmarked zone, where he slotted in past the outstretched hands of goalkeeper Saoud Al Khater.

Abdullah Khaled almost doubled the score two minutes later, but Lucas Sainsbury’s last-minute tackle sent the ball out for a corner kick. Umm Salal, however, failed to convert the subsequent setpiece.

In the 44th minute, Abdullah Khaled eventually got his goal with what could arguably be a contender for the goal of the tournament. The Qatari player collected the ball from the centre line and then dribbled his way to Al Wakrah’s 18-yard box before sliding a pass to Lekhal, who coolly returned immediately, catching the opponents’ defence flat-footed. An unmarked Abdullah Khaled thereafter fired in a right-footed shot to send the stadium roaring in excitement.

Mashaal Al Shammari missed a sitter in the 71st minute, but Umm Salal could not be denied their third goal for long as captain Delort took the game beyond Al Wakrah’s reach less than a minute later with a cheeky lob from substitute Afif’s assist.

Al Shammari eventually registered his name on the scoresheet in the 75th minute with a well-taken right-footed shot.

With the match entering the dying minute, Afif made it 5-0 from the spot for coach Patrice Carteron’s team in the last minute after Lucas had brought down a goal-bound Al Shammari inside the box.