Qatar SC and Al Arabi played out a 1-1 draw in Round 3 (Group A) of the 2023-2024 season Ooredoo Cup at the Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium of Qatar Sports Club on Sunday.

Ibrahim Majed (51st minute) scored for Qatar SC, while substitute Abdulla Al Sulaiti restored parity for Al Arabi in the 67th minute.

With the result, Qatar SC now have four points, while Al Arabi are on seven points.

The match started on a tepid note, with no clear chances on both sides.

Qatar SC had a penalty call in the 42nd minute after Eisa Palangi was initially adjudged to have been fouled in the Al Arabi 18-yard box but, after a lengthy VAR check, the call was overturned by the referee.

The match remained a stalemate going into the dugout at half-time.

Desperate for a win, Al Arabi threw in Marco Verratti in place of Abdulrahman Anad and Rami Suhail for Yousef Muftah at half-time, and the coming in of the duo appeared to change the dynamics for the better for The Dream Team, especially in the midfield.

Despite Al Arabi’s continuous knocking on their opponents’ goalmouth, it was, however, Qatar SC who opened the scoring in the 51st minute through Ibrahim Majed, who rifled in a low, but powerful long-range free-kick that caught goalkeeper Jassim Al Hail napping.

Substitute Abdulla Al Sulaiti restored parity for Al Arabi in the 67th minute with a superb 30-yard shot, following a Verratti assist, that went right past the outstretched hands of goalkeeper Motasem Al Bustami into the right side of the net.

Al Arabi’s Ibrahem Nasser Kalla tested the reflexes of Al Bustami in the 79th minute, but the Qatar SC shot stopper was up to the task as he prevented what could have been another Al Arabi goal with a fine save.

Qatar SC got an opportunity to restore their lead with the last kick of the match through a free-kick, but it was not converted before the referee finally called the day off.