Al Arabi survived a late rally from Qatar SC to secure a 4-3 win in Week 16 of the 2023-2024 season Expo Stars League at the Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium of Qatar SC on Wednesday.

Al Arabi’s Omar Al Somah scored a hat-trick (20th, 55th and 90+13 minute penalty, while Rafinha Alcantra also scored from the spot in the 50th minute for The Dream Team. Qatar SC’s goals were scored by Yohan Boli (76th and 86th minutes) and Bruno Tabata (90+5 minute) penalty.

The result takes Al Arabi’s points tally to 21, while Qatar SC remained on 13 points.

Considering the strong rivalry between both teams, it was not therefore surprising that match began on a fast pace with each side trying to register an early goal to be in the driver’s seat of the pulsating encounter.

Al Arabi had one of the best chances in the 12th minute, with Al Somah having a chance to register the first goal after a poor defensive clearance by Qatar SC captain Javi Martinez, but the Syrian professional blasted high.

Eight minutes later, Al Somah redeemed himself with a wonderful finish after Marco Verratti had set him up with a wonderful pass, which he did not hesitate to blast into the left hand corner of goalkeeper Sataa Al Abbasi's net, despite an initial slip, to put Al Arabi ahead.

The goal seemed to have wet the appetite of coach Younes Ali’s team as they began to seek more goals, piling pressure on The Kings with more aggressive attacks orchestrated by the duo of Rafinha and Al Somah, with Verratti at the core. But despite the pressure, Qatar SC’s defence stood solid as they ensured the first half ended with just the lone goal difference.

The first three minutes of the second half was a much different ball game for Qatar SC as they began to play with more intent and purpose. But despite their early resurgence, they were soon caught flat footed by Al Arabi, who doubled their lead from the spot in the 50th minute through Rafinha following a handball incident involving Qatar SC's Martinez.

Al Somah got his second of the night five minutes later with a powerful header after connecting to a Yousef Msakni weighed pass to make it three for his side.

A rampaging Al Arabi side could have made it four goals in the 62nd minute had Msakni not missed a golden opportunity to register his name in the scorers’ sheet following a defence-splitting pass by Rafinha as the Tunisian forward blasted wide with only the goalkeeper to beat.

With the game looking like a walloping for Qatar SC, the situation suddenly changed in the 76th minute, with Boli pulling one back for them with a fantastic goal from an assist by Khalid Ahmed Mahmoudi.

Nine minutes later, the Ivorian international, Boli, finished off a long ball from Bruno Tabata to secure his brace as the deficit was further reduced.

Qatar SC’s comeback was completed in five minutes of added time, with Tabata scoring a penalty after Ahmed Fathi was ruled to have brought down Tabata during a ball clearing attempt. The spot kick decision was vehemently protested by Al Arabi but a VAR decision put an end to their complaint.

While all eyes were on a dramatic stalemate, Al Arabi got a chance at restoring their lead after Ibrahim Majed was adjudged to have a push on Msakni inside the 18-yard box in nine minutes of added time. The subsequent penalty kick was converted by Al Somah in 14 minutes of injury time as Al Arabi ran away with a nail-biting, but important 4-3 win.