Akram Afif netted a brace as Al Sadd defeated Al Khor 3-0 in Week 21 of the 2024-2025 season Ooredoo Stars League at Al Sadd’s Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Friday.

Despite the win, however, the league title would have to be decided on the last matchday of the season with their main rivals, Al Dubail, who are two points shy of The Wolves, also posting a win in their match against Al Arabi, making it a nail-biting ending to the exciting season.

Afif's goals came in the 41st minute (penalty) and 63rd minute after Rafa Mujica had opened the scoring in the 17th minute to move Al Sadd to 49 points in the standings, while bottom-placed Al Khor remained on 13 points.

Table toppers Al Sadd went into the match knowing full well that a win could potentially hand them the title if Al Duhail were to lose, and they gave it their best shot from the blast of the opening whistle.

Mohamed Camara could have gotten Al Sadd had the opener in the 16th minute had he been more technical with his shot, but the coach Felix Sanchez’s team did not need to wait for too long, as Mujica gave them a reason to smile a minute later after scoring from the centre of the box following a corner. The goal, which was initially subjected to a vigorous VAR check following protests from Al Khor, was eventually made to stand three minutes later.

Any hope of bottom-placed Al Khor taking anything away from the first half was finally extinguished in the 41st minute as Akrim Afif stepped up and scored from the spot after Mujica was fouled in the penalty area by Sofiane Hanni.

Al Sadd continued to press hard against Al Khor from then on, and the visitors were quite lucky not to concede more goals before the referee blew for the half-time break.

The second half witnessed a different Al Khor, who were determined not to bend easily for their opponents as they came out more attack-minded, and they almost got a goal in the 50th minute through Adil Rhaili, but his header from the centre of the box, from an assist by Hanni, was just a bit too high. Naif Mubarak also missed a right-footed shot from more than 35 yards in the 58th minute as Al Khor continued testing Al Sadd’s patience.

The situation, however, took a different turn in the 63rd minute as Afif made it three for Al Sadd, this time from an assist by Abdulla Al Yazidi, to further extinguish any hope of a comeback by Al Khor.

Al Sadd ensured their lead was not threatened in any way as the referee eventually blew the closing whistle at the end of the six minutes of added time.