Al Arabi beat Qatar SC 1-0 in Week 18 of the 2020-21 season QNB Stars League at the Al Ahli Stadium on Sunday.

Sebastian Soria’s goal in the eighth minute proved decisive in the action-packed match.

Al Arabi moved to 26 points with seven wins, five draws and six defeats, while Qatar SC stayed on 28 points after their sixth defeat.

Al Arabi looked a better side from the start keeping most of the ball possession and their strategy to put pressure on the opposition gave them the desired result early.

A brilliant cross from Fahad Shenain from the left landed in the danger area and while goalkeeper Jassim Al Hail failed to grab the ball, it took Soria’s touch and entered the net despite an acrobatic effort from defender Khaled Ahmed to clear the ball.

Referee Khamis Al Marri, in his first reaction, disallowed the goal, but determined that there was no foul by Soria after the VAR consultation.

Qatar SC regrouped after conceding the lead reducing Al Arabi’s ball domination, but The Dream Team were still ahead in terms of possession on the half-hour mark.

In the 42nd minute, Al Arabi’s Aron Gunnarsson received a yellow card for a foul on goalkeeper Al Hail as he tried to score following a corner. The goalkeeper received treatment for the injury.

Al Arabi tried to tone done the pace of the match in the second half as Qatar SC returned with an aggressive approach.

Qatar SC’s Hamed Ismail won a free-kick 10 yards outside the box in the 51st minute, but Al Hail thwarted it.

A few moments later, Al Hail punched away the ball from a free-kick by Bashar Resan from the left. Qatar SC created more chances, but execution was missing as they continued to trail Al Arabi.

In the 71st minute, Mehrdad Mohammadi missed a chance to double Al Arabi’s lead as he failed to beat Al Hail from a good position inside the area. There were more exchanges late into the match, but Al Arabi held on to collect three valuable points.