Al Ahli blanked Al Wakrah 2-0 in Week 12 of the 2020-21 season QNB Stars League at the Al Arabi Stadium on Saturday.

Nabil El Zhar (50th-minute penalty) and Hazem Shehata (64th minute) scored the goals for Al Ahli, who moved on to 22 points with their seventh victory.

Al Wakrah stood on 13 points after succumbing to their seventh loss.

The first real chance at the goal came in the 26th minute when Al Ahli’s Ali Qaderi, off a cross from the right by Abdulrasheed Umaru, skied the ball.

Al Wakrah retorted with a free-kick taken by their spearhead Mohamed Benyettou three minutes later, but goalkeeper Yazan Naim parried it.

Al Wakrah had a chance to surge ahead in the 38th minute, but Cristian Ceballos failed to nod home the ball, headed goalwards by Ousmane Coulibaly following a free-kick taken by Murad Naji.

Nabil tested goalkeeper Mohammed Saeed with a grounder in the 45th minute as the first half drew to a close.

Five minutes after resumption, Al Ahli took the lead, with Nabil converting a penalty awarded after Lucas Mendes fouled him.

Al Ahli pressed hard and were successful a second time as Hazem found the target with a long shot from deep on the left. The goal was initially ruled offside, but referee Abdulrahman Al Jassim allowed it to stand after referring to the VAR.

Down by two goals, Al Wakrah unleashed a couple of attacks. But Murad again sent his free-kick wide in the 69th minute and substitute Jassim Al Jalabi soon saw his booming shot being off-target.

At the other end, Ali Qaderi missed a chance in the 79th minute. Yet, Al Ahli, despite squandering two chances in stoppage time, cruised to a crucial victory.