Al Ahli and Umm Salal settle for a point each in 1-1 draw

Al Ahli and Umm Salal had to settle for a point each in Saturday’s early QSL kick off at Al Ahli stadium after the game finished 1-1 in a hard fought draw. Both sides have endured a mixed start to the 2016/17 QSL season and would have both welcomed three points to push up the table but neither side was able to create many chances in a game which saw limited shots on goal.

Al Ahli got off to a dream start and after just 48 seconds found themselves 1-0 up thanks to some sloppy defending from Umm Salal’s back four. The Orange Fortress’s number 15, Ali Bazmandegan, failed to clear his six yard box after Al Ahli’s Captain, Meshaal Abdulla, whipped a dangerous cross into box. Bazmandegan’s scuffed clearance went straight to Al Ahli attacker Yessoh N'Guessan, who calmly brought it down and stabbed it into the back of the net from close range to give The Brigadiers the lead.

After the early drama, the pace of the game calmed as Al Ahli looked for the decisive second. The Brigadiers didn’t look likely to get a second though after their perfect early start and The Orange Fortress spent the majority of the first half pressing for an equaliser. Despite some solid possession in midfield and some good play from the likes of Mardanli, Santos and their big number 13, Yannick Sagbo, Umm Salal couldn’t find the finishing touch and went into halftime one down.

Al Ahli came out in the second half looking the more determined and started pressing from the whistle. After just four minutes of play The Brigadiers nearly made it two after Younes Ali delivered a pinpoint cross that Ndombe Mubele latched onto and headed towards goal. Were it not for a fingertip reaction save from Baba Malick, The Brigadiers would have been two up.

Just ten minutes later, Al Ahli were gifted a penalty after some more poor defending from Umm Salal which saw number 7 Waleed Mohyaden bring down Al Ahli’s influential Captain, Meshaal, in the 18 yard box. Baba Malick, the man who was partly at fault for the penalty after he failed to punch a cross, made up for his error with a fine save low to his right to deny the Qatar international who stepped up to take the penalty he was awarded.

The Orange Fortress came close to equalising on the 71st minute when Bazmandegan connected with a corner kick with his head. Despite him managing to head the ball down with pace, Al Ahli’s Amer Al Dossari produced a fine save on the line to deny the man in orange.

Just ten minutes later though, halftime substitute Tha'er Bawab equalised for Umm Salal. A lovely back heel from Abdulaziz Al Yahri found Yannick Sagbo lurking on the edge of the 18 yard box with space and the Frenchman had time to pick out a lovely run into the box from Bawab who slotted it home on the 83rd minute.

Both teams pressed for the winner in the remaining ten minutes but neither were able to find the back of the net and both teams left with a much needed point.

Al Gharafa see off old rivals Al Arabi 4-2 

Al Gharafa moved up to fifth in the QSL league table after beating their old rivals Al Arabi 4-2 in Saturday’s 18:10 kick off at Al Gharafa stadium.

Al Arabi, who were welcoming new head coach Edison Aguirre into the dugout for his first game in charge, started brightly and held some decent early spells of possession. With just 13 minutes gone, the Dream Team’s Captain, Boualem Khoukhi, gave the new coach a reason to smile after the Qatar national team player scored what will surely be a contender for goal of the season. The number 10 received a lay off 35 yards out and with one touch, hit a long range shot that left Gharafa’s goalkeeper with no chance, smashing into the top corner and giving Al Arabi the lead.

Unfortunately, Al Arabi’s lead didn’t last long. Just minutes later Aguirre’s compatriot Paulinho was deemed to have fouled fellow Brazilian Johnson Kendrick in the box. Despite protests from Al Arabi, the penalty stood and Gharafa’s Slovakian international, Vladimir Weiss, stepped up to take the pen and made no mistake from the spot to give The Cheetah’s the equaliser.

The pace of the game intensified and Gharafa began putting pressure on Al Arabi, dominating in the final third and creating chance after chance. On the 23rd minute, Gharafa should have been 2-1 up but George Kwasi was denied by the crossbar after hitting a lovely free kick on his left on the edge of the box. Gharafa’s intensity eventually paid off though and a few minutes after hitting the bar, their Captain Lawrence Quaye found himself with space in the box and was able to volley home from six yards out to take the lead on the 28th minute.

Just five minutes later though, Al Arabi were level again after Boualem Khoukhi  bagged his second of the match and fourth this season after the defender found himself on the end of a flicked header into the box, evading Gharafa’s back four, taking it on his chest and slotting it home to make it 2-2 into the half time break.

In the space of five second half minutes, Al Arabi watched the game run away from them after Gharafa scored two to all but seal the three points. Gharafa’s first came on the 68th minute when Kwasi stabbed home from just a yard out after a teammate’s header bounced favourably off the crossbar.

Then on the 72nd minute Gharafa were awarded a penalty after the referee deemed Al Arabi’s Captain, Khoukhi, blocked a Gharafa shot with his arm. Hungarian international Krisztian Nemeth converted from the spot to make it 4-2 and secure all three points for The Cheetah’s.

Aguirre has his work cut out with the Dream Team languishing in 11th place in the league. Gharafa leapfrog Umm Salal into fifth after The Orange Fortress gained a point in the early game against Al Ahli.