Al Sadd maintained their four-point lead at the top of QNB Stars League standings by defeating Qatar SC 8-1 in a Week 18 action at the Al Sadd Stadium on Thursday.

Hat-tricks by strikers Akram Afif and Baghdad Bounedjah propelled Al Sadd to an easy victory.

Abdulkarim Hassan (23rd minute), Bounedjah (30th-min penalty, 84th and 90+2 minutes), Akram (35th, 58th and 71st minutes) and Hassan Al Haydous (45+3 penalty) scored Al Sadd’s goals as The Wolves took their points tally to 47, four more than reigning champions Al Duhail who defeated Al Ahli 6-0 in the day’s early kick-off.

Bahaa Abdulrahman pulled one back for Qatar SC in the 52nd minute.

It was yet another big-margin victory for Al Sadd this season, their 15th which is the most by any team, while Qatar SC suffered their 10th defeat.

The lethal duo of tournament top scorer Bounedjah and Akram, as always, wreaked havoc among the Qatar SC ranks.

Asia’s best player and left-back Abdulkarim started it all by sending in a long-range stunner past the outstretched hand of Qatar SC goalkeeper Jassim Al Hail, who found the proceedings hard against the marauding Al Sadd players.

Bounedjah doubled the lead by converting a penalty awarded by referee Mohammed Al Shammari after the Algerian striker was brought down inside the box by Omar Al Emadi.

Akram opened his scoring with a brilliant scissor cut past the goalkeeper and three defenders stationed at the goalline.

Qatar national team captain Al Haydous made it 4-0 at the stroke of half-time whistle by sending in a penalty, which was awarded after Akram was tripped by the goalkeeper.

After Bahaa reduced the margin, Akram and Bounedjah found the mark twice more in the second half to make the final score read 8-1 as Qatar SC remained on 16 points.