Al Kharaitiyat shock Gharafa 2-0

Al Kharaitiyat on Saturday wrapped up their QSL season on a positive note, winning their round 26 battle against Al Gharafa.I Al Kharaitiyat scored twice in the first half to emerge 2-0  winners against the Cheetahs. Sanjar Tursunov and Rachid Tiberkanine were the goal-scoring heroes for the Thunders. 

After a sluggish start to the proceedings on Saturday, both teams picked up momentum around the 10th minute of the match when Al Kharaitiyat opened the scoring. Unmarked Uzbek forward Tursunov charged into the Al Gharafa box before calmly slipping the ball past goalkeeper Yusuf Ali for his team's first goal. 

Al Kharaitiyat pushed on for a second and duly raced to a 2-0 lead when Tiberkanine, the Moroccan midfielder, converted a penalty kick in the 40th minute. Al Gharafa pushed hard to get back into the tie during the second half, however Al Kharaitiyat held out to pick up a well deserved win against their opponents. 

Sadd edge out Jaish 2-1

Al Sadd on Saturday picked up three points with a clinical display against El Jaish, winning 2-1 at Al Sadd Stadium. It was Al Sadd's 18th win of the season in which Jesualdo Ferreira’s men lost only one game.

Sadd, playing on home soil, scored two goals in the first half through Hamza Sanhaji and star striker Hassan Haydoos. El Jaish, coached by Sabri Lamouchi, reduced the deficit through Uzbek forward Sardor Rashidov in the second half.

With Qatar national coach Jorge Fossati watching from the stands at Al Sadd Stadium, El Jaish captain Seydou Keita deflected a ball from close range in the third minute of the match but the ball sailed past the Al Sadd goalpost.

A couple of minutes later, El Jaish's Brazilian defender Lucas Mendes produced a close-range header but the ball again missed the Al Sadd goalpost as the home side averted another dangerous move from the men in maroon.

Despite the early inroads by El Jaish, it was Al Sadd who took the lead. In the 10th minute, Hamza Sanhaji - stationed near the El Jaish box - received a pass from captain Xavi near the half line.

With a couple of defenders close by, Sanhaji deflected the ball past El Jaish goalkeeper Khalifa Abucar for his seventh goal of the season for the former QSL champions.

Al Sadd added their second goal through a penalty kick in the 25th minute national team striker l Haydoos beat the goalkeeper from the spot kick with ease, much to the dismay of El Jaish coach Lamouchi who followed the proceedings from inside the dugout.

Al Sadd goalkeeper Saad Al Sheeb was red carded in the 33rd minute when he was penalised for an out-of-box foul against Romarinho of Jaish. Substitute Muhannad Naim was called in as a replacement goalkeeper by Al Sadd coach Ferriera and he straight away produced a diving stop on the following direct free-kick taken by Rashidov.

​In the 67th minute, El Jaiah's striker Rashidov hammered one home from close range, slotting the ball into the net with a first-time volley on a lob ball. It was Rashidov's 15th goal of the season.