Al Shahania and Al Khor share points in 2-2 draw 

League strugglers Al Shahania and Al Khor took a point each after drawing 2-2 at Al ArabiStadium in one of Friday’s two early QSL kick offs. Both teams came into the tie desperately needing three points with Al Shahania becoming draw specialists after registering three ties in their last five QSL matches and Al Khor losing their last five games and heading towards the  relegation.

 After a lacklustre opening which saw not a single shot on goal, Al Khor took the lead after they were gifted a penalty following some poor defending from The Oryxes.

Sloppy passing between Al Shahania’s back four handed Al Khor’s Babou Sidiki the ball on the edge of the 18 yard box and allowed him to run at goal. Before Skid was able to get a shot away he was tripped by a backtracking Nabeel Anwa and the referee was quick to blow for a penalty. Al Khor’s Brazilian defender Welinton Souza, stepped up and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to give The Knights a one goal lead.

Al Khor made it two just before the break after yet more defensive errors from Shahania. After a cross was whipped into the 18 yard box from the right wing, Al Khor’s number 14, Reza Shanbeh Najafi, found himself with acres of space at the back post and was able to find young striker Ali Abdulkarem, who was unmarked and able to help the ball across the line from a yard out to bag his first goal of the season.

Al Shahania came out after the break with a determined look about them and started pressing from the whistle. Their sustained pressure paid off on the 61st minute when on loan Qatari striker, Fahad Khalfan, hit a lightening free kick from 22 yards out that smashed into the top right hand corner of the goal.

 Nine minutes later Al Shahania grabbed a well-deserved equaliser after Al Khor’s Captain, Mostafa Jafri, failed to deal with a long goal kick from Al Shahania’s Al-Dosari. Thinking his goalkeeper was coming out to take the ball, Jafri left it to bounce but failed to realise that Al Shahania’s number 10, Kaled Gourmi, was chasing him down. Khaled managed to poke the ball from between Jafri’s legs before his keeper could reach it and it trickled into the back of the net to make it 2-2.

 Al Shahania maintained the pressure but were unable to find the winner and both teams left with a point. Al Khor continue their downward spiral towards relegation and Al Shahania maintain their title of draw specialists, making it four draws from six games.

Al Sadd ease past Sailiya with 3-1 win

Al Sadd moved to the top of the QSL standings with a professional 3-0 victory over Al Sailiya on Friday evening at Qatar SC stadium. Sadd grabbed two goals in the first half from Morteza Pouraliganji and Xavi before substitute Khalfan Ibrahim completed his sides scoring on the 74th minute. Al Sailiya did find a late consolation from Qatari midfielder Sayaf Al-Korbi, and missed a stoppage time penalty as Sadd maintained their unbeaten start to the season. 

The Wolves started the tie on the front foot and tested Al Sailiya keeper Gregory Gomis on the fifth minute striker Bagdad Bounjah knocked a ball across the penalty box to Ali Asad,  however the Qatar international’s shot was easily saved. 

The resulting corner from Xavi was whipped in and found the head of Morteza Pouraliganji who scored the opener. The Iranian international leapt ahead of Al Sailiya defender Dragos Grigore  and planted the ball into the back of the net, with just six minutes on the clock.

Sadd began to assert themselves and had two quick chances to push ahead. After being bundled down outside the box,  Hassan Haydoos brought out a good save from Sailiya stopper Gregory Gomis with a well taken free-kick. Seconds later Sadd had a chance to double their advantage as wing-back Abdulkarim Hassan exhibited plenty of technique to hit a half volley which fizzed past the left hand post. 

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Jesualdo Ferreira’s side deservedly doubled their lead on the 33rd minute as Xavi scored his sixth of the season with a low drive into the bottom left hand corner. A well timed  though ball from Bagdad Bounjah fell to the Sadd captain who made no mistake from close range. 

Al Sailiya improved in the second half but where reduced to half chances for the majority of the game. Five minutes after the restart lively Sailiya attacker Mohammed Muddather, perhaps should of pulled a goal back, but his shot was comfortably saved by Saad Al Sheeb.

Sadd slowly began to grow in confidence and did have the ball in the net for a third time, however goalscorer Bagdad Bounjah was judged offside.  Moments later the Wolves 

Substitute Khalfan scored in second goal in as many games with a standout piece of play on the 74th minute. The  Al Sadd midfielder started the move, exchanging a neat one-two with Bagdad Bounjah, Khalfan found himself free in the penalty box and showed plenty of composure to slot the ball past Gregory Gomis to give his side a three goal lead.  

Sayaf Al-Korbi pulled a goal back for Sailiya with three minutes to play, drilling the ball into the right hand corner after the ball was neatly passed to him from substitute Paul Efoulou. Sailiya could have had a second of the evening from the penalty spot however  Paul Efoulou’s effort was saved by Saad Al Sheeb.