The 2019-20 QNB Stars League’s second leg got off in style with Week 12 fixtures, held on Thursday, 2nd January, Friday, 3rd January, and Saturday, 4th January (two matches on each day).

A total of 16 goals were scored and Al Rayyan’s Yacine Brahimi and Al Shahania’s Kesse Amangoua stood out with a hat-trick and double respectively.

The first three (Al Duhail, Al Rayyan and Al Gharafa) and last three positions (Al Khor, Al Shahania and Umm Salal) remained unchanged.

Leaders Al Duhail dropped two crucial points when they were held goalless by Qatar SC, who slipped from seventh to eighth with 14 points.

Thus, the gap between leaders Al Duhail and second-placed Al Rayyan was reduced from four to two as the latter defeated Umm Salal by a 4-0 margin. Brahimi’s heroics followed an early goal scored by Abdulaziz Hatem.

Al Duhail and Al Rayyan have 30 and 28 points respectively.

Al Wakrah pulled off a coup by beating reigning champions Al Sadd 2-1. Mohamed Benyettou and Omar Ali scored Al Wakrah’s goals, while Hassan Al Haydous gave Al Sadd’s reply.

It was a major setback for Al Sadd in their bid to retain the league shield as they crashed to their fourth defeat and stood on 18 points.

Al Wakrah jumped from ninth to seventh place with 15 points, while Al Sadd slipped from fourth to fifth as they stayed on 18 points.

Al Sadd have two matches in hand, deferred (from Weeks 5 and 7) due to their engagements in the 2019 AFC Champions League. They will play Al Arabi on 6th January and Al Khor on 21st January before the QNB Stars League’s Week 13 action begins on 23rd January.

In between, the 2020 Qatar Cup will be held, with semifinals on 10th and 11th January, and final on 17th January.

Al Arabi too have the same number of points (18) as Al Sadd following their 3-0 win over Al Ahli, but were placed fourth on better goal difference. Pierre-Michelle Lassoga, Mohammed Salah El Neel and Morteza Pouraliganji scored for The Dream Team.

As a result, Al Ahli (13 points) lost some ground (eighth position to ninth).

Al Shahania too caused a major upset when they shocked Al Gharafa 2-1 to script their first victory in this season’s tournament. Al Shahania’s both goals were scored by Kesse Amangoua. Sofiane Hanni was on target for Al Gharafa.

Al Shahania (eight points) and Al Gharafa (20 points) stayed 11th and third respectively.

Al Khor collected three crucial points to take their tally to nine following their 2-1 victory over Al Sailiya, who slipped from fifth to sixth spot with 17 points.

Al Khor, nevertheless, stayed 10th. Karim Ansari had taken Al Sailiya ahead, but Al Khor struck back through Helal Mohammed and Ibrahim Amada.