Akram Afif led the charge with a hat-trick as reigning champions Al Sadd put it across Al Sailiya 3-0 in Week 14 of the 2019-20 QNB Stars League at the Al Sadd Stadium on Saturday.

Akram scored in the third, 48th (penalty) and 54th minutes.

Al Sadd moved on to 30 points with their 10th victory, while Al Sailiya stood on 17 points after crashing to their sixth defeat.

The Wolves, who had lifted the season-opening Sheikh Jassim Cup (Super Cup), recently added the 2020 Qatar Cup to their trophy cabinet by defeating Al Duhail 4-0 in the final. And they are now on course towards retaining the title.

Meanwhile, Al Sailiya, who had lost 1-3 to Al Sadd in the first leg of 2019-20 QNB Stars League, saw their woes being compounded following their exit from the 2020 AFC Champions League play-off, where they lost to Iran's Shahr Khodro on penalties.

Akram started the scoring spree by slotting home a rebound from Al Sailiya goalkeeper Khalifa Aboobacker, whose block off a Baghdad Bounedjah cross from the left came Akram’s way.

Al Sadd were on the ascendancy, with Bounedjah, Nam Tae-Hee, Abdulkarim Hassan and Ali Asad all making forays.

Al Sailiya mainly had attempts by Maher Yousef and Karim Ansari to show in the first half.

It was Al Sadd almost all the way against an Al Sailiya side which found the going more tough in the second half.

Akram converted from the spot his and team’s second goal after the penalty was awarded by referee Salman Falahi for Mohammed Mdather of Al Sailiya.

Akram placed home the ball from the acutest of angles with help from Bounedjah as he rounded off the tally.