Qatar SC beat Al Sailiya 3-1 in Week 9 of the 2020-21 season QNB Stars League at Al Ahli Stadium on Sunday.
Anthony Okpotu (11th and 15th minutes) and Youcef Belaili (88th minute) scored for Qatar SC. The Kings moved on to 15 points with their fourth consecutive victory and fifth overall this season.
Serigne Mbodji (45+4) scored the only of Al Sailiya, who stood on 11 points following their fourth defeat.
Qatar SC were in unrelenting mood from start. That they were up by two goals inside 15 minutes showed how charged up their players have been under the tutelage of former Qatar international midfielder Younis Ali, who took charge of the side this season.
Okpotu scored both his goals in similar fashion, with Algerian forward Belaili providing him with the assists on both occasions. Referee Hamad Al Subaie referred to the Video Assistant Referee to confirm the second goal as Okpotu was doubted to have been offside.
Okpotu had a narrow miss in the 27th minute as he hit a shot over the bar. Qatar SC’s Ali Karimi had a free-kick parried by Al Sailiya goalkeeper Claude Amin in the 38th minute.
Mohanad Ali led Al Sailiya’s attacks even as his strike partner Tiago Bezerra was off-colour. Iraqi Mohanad was unlucky on a couple of occasions in the first half as his shot hit the crossbar and Tiago sent the rebound wide with a bicycle kick.
On another occasion, Mohanad skied his shot before he had a goal disallowed for offside in the 44th minute.
However, Al Sailiya’s efforts bore fruits as Mbodji reduced the margin in first-half injury time with a diving header off Nadir Belhadj’s cross.
Al Sailiya showed more alacrity in the second half. Soon after resumption, Belhadj tested the goalkeeper with a grounder and then, in the 83rd minute, he was thwarted by Amine.
However, Qatar SC swelled the margin, with Belaili getting on to the scoresheet as the match wore on.