Al Duhail defeated Al Sadd 4-1 in a thrilling tie in Week 9 of the 2019-20 QNB Stars League at the Al Duhail Stadium on Saturday.

Mohammed Muntari (34th-minute penalty), Karim Boudiaf (45+1), Paulo Edmilson (81st minute) and Almoez Ali (90+1) scored Al Duhail’s goals after Hassan Al Haydous (14th minute) had put Al Sadd ahead.

Al Duhail moved to the top of QNB Stars League table with 23 points. It was The Red Knights’ seventh victory. They also stayed as unbeaten so far, along with Al Rayyan.

Al Sadd, who have two games in hand (against Al Arabi and Al Khor), stood on 15 points. The Wolves had earlier been beaten by Al Rayyan in the Qatar Clasico.

Al Duhail missed Luis Martin, Asim Madibo and Bassam Al Rawi due to injuries, while Al Sadd had full squad at their disposal barring Abdelkarim Hassan.

The fast-paced match, played in front of a crowd of 4,878, lived up to its billing and Al Duhail went into the half-time break with a 2-1 lead, slightly against the run of play.

Almoez was the livewire in Al Duhail’s attacks, while Baghdad Bounedjah and Akram Afif led Al Sadd’s offensives, with Nam Tae-Hee making incisive runs.

Al Sadd went ahead through Qatar international forward Al Haydous, who volleyed in Bounedjah’s cross from the right.

Al Duhail equalised through Muntari, who converted a penalty awarded after Salem Al Hajri brought down Almoez.

Just before the half-time break, Boudiaf headed in Edmilson’s corner into the far corner of the goal.

As the game wore on, Al Sadd brought in Ali Asad and Abdulaziz Al Ansari, whereas Al Duhail fielded Yousef Msakni, Mohanad Ali and Fahd Ahmed as substitutes.

Not long after the second half started, Msakni could not convert a Boudiaf shot. Afterwards, Al Sadd made a couple of attempts. Pedro’s header was so feeble that Al Duhail goalkeeper Amine Lecomte could collect it easily. Nam came closest to score, but could not beat Lecomte.

Edmilson then made it 3-1 by giving the finishing touch to a brilliant cross from the left by Msakni.

Almoez rounded off the tally in stoppage time, with Msakni again doing the spadework.

Al Duhail’s Ahmed Yasser was red-carded in the 88th minute after he received his second yellow for fouling Nam.