Al Khor and Al Sadd played out a dramatic goalless draw in Week 4 of the 2020-21 season QNB Stars League at the Al Khor Stadium on Saturday.
Al Sadd dropped points for the first time this season. They have played one game less as their high-profile fixture against holders Al Duhail in Week 3 was postponed owing to both teams’ commitments in the 2020 AFC Champions League. It is scheduled for Wednesday, 21st October, at the Al Duhail Stadium (18:45 kick-off).
The Wolves have seven points. Xavi Hernandez’s wards had earlier beaten Al Kharaitiyat and Al Sailiya by an identical 5-1 margin in the first two weeks.
Al Khor, who have Frenchman Hantz Frederic as their new coach, now have three points. The Knights had held Al Arabi 2-2 and Umm Salal goalless before losing 0-1 to Al Ahli in Week 3 after which the QNB Stars League took a long break.
Al Khor mainly had to thank goalkeeper Baba Djibril for his heroics, as he time and again thwarted Al Sadd attackers on either half. Santi Cazorla, Nam Tae-Hee, Mohammed Waad, Guilherme Torres and Rodrigo Tabata all had the tale of either being thwarted by Djibril or missed chances to tell in the first half.
Baghdad Bounedjah and Yousef Abdulrazaq took the field in the second session and they also tried hard to make a breakthrough, but in vain.
Ahmed Badr Sayyar too came close in the 78th minute. However, his effort was blocked by Djibril, who was in outstanding form.
It may be recalled that Al Sadd had recently won the 2019-20 Ooredoo Cup, defeating Al Arabi 4-0 in the final.