Goalless Stalemate between Al Khor and El Jaish

Al Khor took on El Jaish in round 16 of the Qatar Stars League at the Al Khor stadium on Friday. The game ended in stalemate with both sides unable to score. El Jaish will be disappointed by the result as the title slips further away from their reach while Al Khor will be encouraged after achieving a positive result against one of the league’s strongest teams.

The first half was a defensive battle with each side treading lightly while testing the waters. There were only two shots on target in the first forty-five minutes, one for each team. Possession was also finely balenced as both sides went into the second half level pegging.

The second half had much more action compared to the first half as both teams upped the ante. Madison was the standout player for Al Khor. The Brazilian sent a curling shot from the right edge of the box and his effort came off the fingertips of the diving keeper, Saoud Mubarak, onto the bar and out for a corner.In the sixty-sixth minute, Al Khor’s Moroccan forward, Mouhcine Iajour had an opportunity to score. However, his shot came off the post to keep the match scoreless.

El Jaish were timid in attack throughout most of the game. Sardor Rashidov, however, was a driving force for the Soldiers as his powerful shot on target from inside the box saved by Al Khor stopper,  Ghayth Al Muhannadi in the eighty-second minute.

Rashidov was in action again a few minutes later when he drove the ball to the by-line and cut back to Abdul Kader Ilyas, who was under pressure and let his shot fly over the crossbar from close range in the eighty-eighth minute. Despite the best efforts of the Uzbek international, the match ended 0-0. 

Al Rayyan notch four past Al Sailiya

Al Rayyan brushed aside Al Sailiya by a impressive 4-0 scoreline on Friday evening. Al Rayyan captain Rodrigo Tabata grabbed a brace to ensure it was a comfortable evenings work for the reigning QSL champions, who looked far superior than their opponents Al Sailiya. 

It didn’t take long for the current QSL champions to take an early lead on the eighth minute. A deep cross was swung into the box which was flicked by Sebastian Soria into the path of Sergio Garcia who was in the right place at the right time to curl the ball past Gregory Gomis for his sixth goal of the season. 

Sami Trabelsi’s side settled and could of levelled the tie had in form attacker Mohammed Muddather’s surging run and shot not hit the post in what was to register the Perigrines first chance of the match. The young attacker was also set to have a say in the second goal of the match moments later. 

With twenty minutes on the clock Al Rayyan doubled their advantage thanks to a free-kick from Rodrigo Tabata, which took a hefty deflection off the head of Mohammed Muddather before finding its way into the back of the net.

As the first half came to an end it was Al Sailiya who looked most likely to score. Cameroonian stirker Paul Efoulou saw his shot from distance well saved by Omar Barry in the Al Rayyan goal. Whilst moments later Romanian Dragos Grigore stung the hands of the Qatar international keeper with a powerful shot. 

Al Rayyan began to dominate after the break and seconds after the restart and Rayyan hit the woodwork with Sergio Garcia smacking a close range shot which rattled the crossbar. Al Sailiya were far from out of the tie, and came to close to pulling a goal back when midfielder Sayaf Al-Korbi worked a shot from a tight angle which went just wide. 

Gregory Gomis kept Sailiya in the tie with two fine reaction saves to deny Sebastian Soria and Sergio Garcia. However it all proved to be in vein, as Sebastian Soria won a penalty on the hour mark, after being sythed down in the penalty box. Al Rayyan’s captain Rodrigo Tabata stepped up and swept the ball into the top corner for his ninth goal of the season. 

Nine minutes later Al Rayyan put the tie beyond doubt with a well taken goal from Abdulmajeed Enad. The young defender perfectly controlled the incoming cross before tapping the ball over Gregory Gomis for a easy finish. The win means that Michael Laudrup’s side consolidates fourth place in the QSL standings.