The 2020-21 season QNB Stars League’s Week 16 fixtures, held on Saturday and Sunday (13th and 14th February, 2021), witnessed hot action. A total of 11 goals were scored over six matches, all of which ended in victories.

The results were:

Al Gharafa lost to Al Sailiya 0-1

Al Khor beat Al Kharaitiyat   2-1

Al Sadd beat Al Ahli      3-0

Umm Salal lost to Qatar SC    0-1

Al Duhail beat Al Rayyan       2-0

Al Arabi beat Al Wakrah        1-0

Al Sadd kept their 13-point lead over closest challengers and holders Al Duhail on top of the table following their 3-0 win over Al Ahli.

Baghdad Bounedjah, Boualem Khoukhi and substitute Tarek Salman scored the goals as Al Sadd moved on to 44 points. Al Ahli slipped from sixth to seventh place with 23 points.

Al Duhail are on 31 points after they beat Al Rayyan 2-0 in a high-profile encounter. Ismail Mohammed and substitute Michael Olunga found the target for The Red Knights.

Al Rayyan found themselves being dropped from fourth to fifth position with 25 points.

Al Sailiya remained in the eighth position with 22 points despite defeating Al Gharafa 1-0, with Mohammed Mudather scoring the winner.

However, Al Gharafa slipped from third to fourth place with 27 points.

Qatar SC, who beat Umm Salal by a last-gasp penalty goal scored by Youcef Belaili, also have 27 points, but The Kings occupied the third spot (jumped from fifth place) on better goal difference (+10 as against Al Gharafa’s +8).

Similarly, Al Arabi, who defeated Al Wakrah 1-0, and Al Ahli are on 23 points, but Al Arabi were placed sixth on better goal difference (-2 compared to Al Ahli’s -8).

Mehrdad Mohammadi scored the winner (penalty goal) for Al Arabi, who improved from seventh position.

Al Khor registered a crucial 2-1 victory over Al Kharaitiyat in a battle between two bottom-placed teams.

Khaled Radwan and Pierre-Michel Lasogga scored for Al Khor, while Al Kharaitiyat’s goal was scored by Nasser Ibrahim Al Nasr.

Al Khor and Al Kharaitiyat stood in 11th and 12th place with 13 and six points respectively.

The round saw two red-card suspensions — Al Kharaitiyat striker Rachid Tiberkanine and Umm Salal defender Ayman Abdennour were sent off.

The QNB Stars League’s Week 17 games will be played on 22nd and 23rd February.

The focus now shifts to the prestigious Qatar Cup, the flagship tournament of Qatar Stars League, of which the semifinals will be held on 18th February and final on 26th February.