The QNB Stars League’s Week 9 fixtures on Friday are Al Markhiya vs Al Arabi (16:00), Al Khor vs Al Sailiya (16:00) and Al Sadd vs Al Duhail (18:10). Host teams are mentioned first.

Al Markhiya vs Al Arabi

Al Markhiya started their QNB Stars League campaign with promise after getting promoted from the Second Division. However, they could not make much progress as the tournament progressed and are lying second from bottom with five points and only one victory.

The Oryxes replaced coach Yousef Adam with Egyptian Ayman Mansour before reinstating the former. Nevertheless, they are the team that gave most chances to youngsters in all four rounds of the QSL Cup played in between the league’s two international breaks.

Al Arabi are also a struggling side and are lying 10th in the standings. They too changed the coach, Croat Luka Bonacic replacing Tunisian Qais Yaakoubi. The Dream Team, however, lost last week too, in Bonacic’s first match in charge.

Al Khor vs Al Sailiya

Al Khor and Al Sailiya are both coming off victories, against Qatar SC and Al Gharafa respectively. The win did a world of good for Al Khor as they not only registered their second victory, but moved up the ladder by three positions to eighth.

Al Khor were also playing their first match under Tunisian coach Nassif Al Bayawi, who has prior coaching experience in Qatar when he assisted Frenchman Bernard Simondi at Al Kharaitiyat.

Al Sailiya are having a creditable run and that should make coach Sami Trabelsi a happy man. The Peregrines will be boosted by the return from a foot injury of Brazilian playmaker Wagner Ribeiro, who was missing in action in Week 8.

Al Sadd vs Al Duhail

Al Sadd have the home advantage when they take on leaders Al Duhail. Both have won seven games. Al Duhail have 22 points and Al Sadd one less than that. It is a foregone conclusion that it will be a humdinger of a match.

Both sides have an array of stars in their ranks. Al Sadd boast of World Cup and twice European Championship winner Xavi Hernandez, prolific scorer Baghdad Bounedjah, Jugurtha Hamroun and Qatar international Hassan Al Haydous, while Al Duhail have the league’s top scorer Youssef El Arabi (14 goals), Youssef Msakni, Nam Tae-Hee, Luis Martin Junior and Ismail Mohammed.

The result will be crucial as both teams are title contenders.