Karim Boudiaf scored the all-important goal in the 29th minute as leaders Al Duhail defeated hosts Al Arabi in their QNB Stars League Week 13 match on Friday.

In the process, Al Duhail maintained their unbeaten run and took their points to 35.

Play was mostly restricted to the Al Arabi area from the start and a goal was coming any time, with captain Youssef Msakni, spearhead Youssef El Arabi and playmaker Nam Tae-Hee raiding the rival citadel.

It looked like Al Duhail opened their account in the 16th when Nam headed the ball in, but the goal was ruled offside.

Despite a defensive approach by Al Arabi, The Red Knights did take the lead around the half-hour mark when Boudiaf headed in a Murad Naji corner from the right, leaving goalkeeper Masoud Zarayi and defenders rooted, for what seemed to be a silly goal.

Attacking midfielder Khalfan Ibrahim was like a one-man army in the Al Arabi attack. His two free-kicks, earned when he himself was fouled on both occasions, were off the mark and a shot that went wide were all that they had to show for their efforts in the first half.

The second half was off to a slow pace, yet Al Duhail dominated possession. 

On a day when El Arabi, the QNB Stars League’s leading scorer with 19 goals, was off-colour, Tunisian attacking midfielder Msakni tested the Al Arabi defence time and again, but to no avail.

Midfielder Ahmed Fathi, who had scored Al Arabi’s equaliser in their creditable 1-1 draw against Al Sailiya in the previous week, played the striker’s role.

However, diminutive Abdullah Hassan caught the eye among the Al Arabi ranks by his timely clearances and interventions as he provided a shield in front of his defenders and against the charging rival attackers.

The scoreline might have swelled had it not been for Abdullah’s alacrity. The Dream Team made a spate of substitutions towards the end in their bid to make a breakthrough.

They missed Syrian striker Mardik Mardikian who sat out due to an injury and Khalfan struggled without a team-mate who could do the finishing.

Al Duhail almost conceded an own goal when defender Lucas Mendes’ faulty clearance with his head hit the crossbar.

Al Arabi got a last chance to score at the stroke of final whistle, but Diego Jardel sent his free-kick over the horizontal.