The QNB Stars League’s Round 8 fixtures on Saturday will see Al Gharafa play host to Al Sailiya and Al Markhiya host Al Ahli at the Al Arabi Stadium in simultaneous kick-off (16:00), while Qatar SC play at home with Al Khor (18:10).

Al Gharafa vs Al Sailiya

Going by form and recent results, Tunisian Sami Trabelsi’s Al Sailiya start as favourites, but Al Gharafa, coached by Frenchman Jean Fernandez, have the capacity to beat them.

Al Sailiya are on a high after beating Umm Salal, while Al Gharafa need to show consistency in their performance having been held by promoted team Al Markhiya in Round 7 after holding leaders Al Duhail in the previous week.

Al Gharafa are sixth with seven points. They have so far recorded only one victory, but have the most number of draws (four) among all teams.

Al Sailiya broke into the top four with their victory over Umm Salal and are on 15 points.

Vladimir Weiss, Diego Amado and Luis Jimenez mainly carry Al Gharafa’s hopes, while Al Sailiya have the likes of Wagner Ribeiro, Temurkhuja Abdukholikov and Valentin Lazar. 

Al Markhiya vs Al Ahli

Both Al Markhiya and Al Ahli have amassed five points, but they are placed eighth and 10th respectively on goal difference. The Brigadiers’ have a goal difference of -7 as against The Oryxes’ -9.

The teams are more or less of same strength. They had played out a goalless draw in the fourth round of QSL Cup on 12th November and are in contention for the second semifinal spot from Group B from which Al Rayyan already progressed. 

Al Ahli’s injured Tunisian professional Yassine Chikhaoui is set to return to action from an injury he suffered in sixth minute of their match against Al Arabi in the sixth round, which resulted in him being taken off the pitch. 

He had also missed Al Ahli’s Round 7 game that they lost to Al Sadd as well as the third and fourth rounds of QSL Cup.

Ghanaian striker Kwame Karikari leads Al Markhiya’s charge.

Qatar SC vs Al Khor

The bottom-placed two teams will look for a lifeline. Al Khor, under new coach Nassif Al Bayawi, will look to capitalise on Qatar SC’s miserable run of late.

It will be Al Bayawi’s first league match in charge of The Knights. The Tunisian, who previously coached Saudi Arabian team Al Qadisiya, was appointed to replace Frenchman Laurent Banide who was dismissed after Round 6.

Incidentally, Al Khor and Qatar SC were locked in a goalless draw in the fourth round of QSL Cup played on 13th November.