Al Gharafa beat Al Ahli 2-0 to stay fourth
 Al Gharafa beat Al Ahli 2-0 at the Thani Bin Jassim Stadium in one of two Round 14 18:25 kick offs this evening, avenging their defeat to Al Ahli earlier in the season and maintaining their top four position.
 
Al Gharafa were desperate to capture all three points and maintain their top four position after their shock Round 13 defeat to Al Kharaitiyat left Umm Salal and Al Rayyan snapping at their heals for fourth place. Al Ahli were not able to continue their winning ways after defeating Muaither in the previous round and stay in the bottom half of the table.
 
After a cagey opening 30 minutes with very few chances, it was Al Gharafa’s number 11, Othman Al Yahri, who broke the deadlock on the 34th minute with a fine solo goal. Al Yahri picked up the ball 30 yards out on the right wing and ran at Al Ahli’s back four before sending two defenders the wrong way with some fancy step overs. Al Yahri then stepped inside and hit the ball on his left just inside the 18 yard box and it curled into the top right hand corner of the goal to give Al Gharafa a 1-0 lead.


 
Al Ahli should have levelled the score just before half time when number 27, Moshin Al Yazeedi, found himself on the end of a sharp ball across the 18 yard box from number 88, John Benson. Despite controlling the ball and getting a shot away, Al Yazeedi’s attempt was smothered by Al Gharafa’s goalkeeper, Yousef Ali, who spotted the danger and got down well to make a fine save.
 
The second half was a lacklustre affair with very few chances as Al Gharafa looked content to sit back and see it out with a 1-0 lead. That was until Al Gharafa’s Mohamed Razaq finished off the game and guaranteed all three points with another fine solo goal. Razaq picked the ball up on the halfway line on the 84th minute, took on three defenders and blasted a shot into the bottom left hand corner of the goal to secure the win for Al Gharafa.
 
Al Gharafa cling onto their 4th place in the league on 26 points while Al Ahli continue to linger in the bottom half of the table on just 14 points.
 
 
Al Wakrah and El Jaish draw blanks and take a point each
 Al Wakrah went head to head against El Jaish in round 14 of the QSL this Wednesday at the Al Wakrah Stadium. The match ended honours even as both sides failed to score. Al Wakrah keeper Hassan Idris was on the top of his game as he made sure that the Blue Waves salvaged a valuable point from this game.
 
In the 46th minute, El Jaish striker Sardor Rashidov found some space on the left side of the box and smashed the ball towards the keeper who fisted it away. Apart from this half chance, the first half lacked major goal scoring opportunities as both sides were defensively strong. However, El Jaish were the more attacking side as they managed four shots on target while Al Wakrah didn’t have any shots on target whatsoever in the first 45 minutes.


 
The closest Al Wakrah came to scoring was in the 75th minute when Mouhsine Moutouali’s free kick came off the post and went out of play. The well-taken set piece was the only clear goal scoring opportunity for Ahmed Al Ajlani’s men who couldn’t do much in attack.
 
Al Wakrah keeper Hassan Idris was once again his team's saviour as he saved Romarinho’s strike from outside the box to keep the score level. Romarinho’s nearly nicked it for The Soldiers in the 91st minute but his shot hit post is some last minute drama. The Brazilian forward brought down a cross, swivelled with the ball to create some space and then hit the ball into the post with the keeper flatfooted.
 
Al Wakrah will leave more than satisfied with a point after registering no shots on target, compared to El Jaish who registered eight shots on target and who will likely leave feeling they have dropped two points. Sabri Lamouchi’s men are now in third place with thirty points while Al Wakrah are still in the drop zone with eleven points.