Al Sailiya recorded a significant 1-0 victory over Al Arabi in Week 21 of the  2019-20 season QNB Stars League at the Al Janoub Stadium on Thursday.

Mohammed Abuzraik scored the all-important goal in the 47th minute.

Going into the match, both Al Sailiya and Al Arabi were level on points (25), but the latter were placed fifth on better goal difference.

Al Sailiya’s eighth victory, which was incidentally Al Arabi’s eighth defeat, took The Peregrines ahead even though they both were out of reckoning for the fourth place after Al Gharafa had ensured that position following the Week 20 results.

Al Sailiya, who had secured a third-place finish last season which was their best-ever performance in the league, had won their first-leg match in the 2019-20 QNB Stars League by a 2-1 margin.

Al Arabi had slightly more of the ball (54 per cent) and created more chances, but could not help themselves from crashing to their second successive defeat, having lost 1-2 to Al Wakrah in Week 20.

Al Sailiya had goalkeeper Amine Lecomte, on loan from league leaders Al Duhail, to thank specially, for his rich experience and expertise.

Al Arabi sorely missed the services of Pierre-Michel Lasogga and his strike partner Hamdi Harbaoui had a rather subdued game.

Al Sailiya’s Abdulqadir Ilyas and Al Arabi’s Abdulla Marafi had their goals ruled offside in the first half.

Al Sailiya scored not long after the resumption through Abuzraik who, after receiving a measured through pass from Mohammed Mudather from the middle, brilliantly evaded the marking of Al Arabi defender Marc Martinez and sent in the ball past goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada.

Lecomte drew all his experience to block a Hamdi free-kick in the 62nd minute and thwarted substitute Ibrahim Nasser Kalla as The Dream Team pushed hard to make a breakthrough.

For Al Sailiya, Nadir Belhadj and Karim Ansari too made attempts at the goal, while Al Arabi had a penalty decision reversed at the fag end of the game.