Al Arabi and Al Rayyan played out a 1-1 draw in Week 8 of the 2020-21 season QNB Stars League at the Al Sadd Stadium on Tuesday.

Abdulaziz Hatem and Abdulaziz Al Ansari scored for Al Rayyan and Al Arabi in the 19th and 35th minute respectively.

Al Arabi moved on to six points and Al Rayyan 12.

It was draw No.3 for both Al Arabi and Al Rayyan.

After a cagey start to the week’s signature match featuring teams with perhaps the largest fan base in Qatar football, Al Rayyan captain Yacine Brahimi produced a powerful shot from just outside the Al Arabi box in the eighth minute, but the ball was deflected by Aron Gunnarsson who lunged forward and thrust his leg in the ball’s path. Al Arabi goalkeeper Sataa Al Abbasi quickly snapped the shot that had lost its sting by the deflection.

Abdulaziz Hatem opened the scoring through a spectacular shot from outside the Al Arabi box. After receiving a short pass from the midfield, he outpaced his marker Marc Martinez and unleashed a powerful left-footed drive that went through the palms of the goalkeeper and into the net.

In the 23rd minute, Al Rayyan’s Ivory Coast striker Yohan Boli barged into the Al Arabi box, but his shot from close range was blocked by defender Abdulla Al Marafi, who slipped in to deflect the ball away.

In the 35th minute, striker Sebastian Soria helped Al Arabi draw parity. Lurking inside the Al Rayyan box with a marker close by, he back-heeled a short cross to an unmarked Al Ansari who fired a right-footed drive into the top of Al Rayyan net, leaving keeper Fahad Younis rooted to his spot.

The second half started in exciting fashion, but it failed to produce another goal and the teams settled for yet another draw.