Title contenders Al Duhail staged a fine comeback to score a thrilling 4-2 win over Al Ahli in a crucial Week 18 match of the 2024-2025 season Ooredoo Stars League at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium of Al Duhail club on Saturday.

The result took Al Duhail back to the top of the leaderboard with 41 points, a slender one-point ahead of defending champions Al Sadd (40), while Al Ahli remained in fourth place with a tally of 29 points.

Three of Al Duhail’s goals came late in the second half, with Michael Olunga (74th minute), Hakim Ziyech (82nd minute) and Benjamin Bourigeaud (90+2 minute) finding the net.

Earlier in the first half, it was the double whammy of Al Ahli’s German star and attacking midfielder Julian Draxler who struck successively in the 38th and 42nd minutes that saw The Brigadiers hit back after Al Duhail had taken the lead in the 26th minute through Lucas Verissimo.

The Red Knights were initially kept at bay by alert Al Ahli. Unable to make a breakthrough, Al Duhail aimed to forcing things and in the 25th minute Olunga, after being in the clear, attempted a big strike but the ball sailed over the crossbar.

The very next minute, Al Duhail took advantage of a corner kick and Almoez Ali made a header, but it was blocked by Al Ahli goalkeeper Marwan Sherif. However, the ball fell in front in an open space and Verissimo kicked the ball in with his right foot.

Al Ahli hit back twelve minutes later on a counter as Eric Exposito sent in a cross from the right, over defenders, for a rushing-in Draxler to beat the goalkeeper to his right at the far end for the equalizer.

Draxler repeated the act, this time after being fed with a long ball from the centre line and he beat past two defenders and the goalkeeper to his right with a left-foot strike (2-1).

The second session was a long tussle before Al Duhail broke the shackles giving their rivals a taste of their own medicine as Edmilson Junior provided Olunga with a fine lob to make a successful header (2-2).

Soon Al Duhail were back in the lead through their Dutch-born Moroccan star Ziyech who piled through the wall to shake the next on the left (3-2).

Al Duhail added one more to the tally with Bourigeaud slamming in a left-footed drive into the left corner for a thrilling 4-2 finish.