Thunders stay up despite final-day defeat
 
Al Kharaitiyat 2-3 Umm Salal
 
Al Kharaitiyat retained their QSL status by the finest of margins despite a final-day defeat to Umm Salal.
 
The Thunders lost 3-2 at Al Khor Stadium but stayed up after Qatar Sports Club failed to win their match against Al Wakrah.
 
Amar Osim’s men went into the game with a one-point lead and superior goal difference over the Kings. However, QSC’s strong recent form meant many had them down as favourites for survival going into the weekend. As it was, Kharaitiyat’s early season form proved just enough to claim 12^th place and another year in the top division. They stayed up by virtue of their superior goal difference over QSC.
 
Kharaitiyat started the match on the front foot but Salal took the lead in the 14^th minute. The Orange Fortress won a free-kick 25 yards out and Brazilian defender Welinton hammered the ball low into the bottom corner.
 
The dangerous Abdulgadir Ilyas almost made it 2-0 in the 35^th minute. The El Jaish loan man bullied his way into the area before striking narrowly wide from ten yards.
 
The Thunders were struggling to create clear-cut chances despite having plenty of possession in the final third. Yahia Kebe almost had an effort on goal in the 40^th minute but failed to control the ball just as he was about to shoot.
 
And Kebe’s wasted opportunity soon proved costly. On the stroke of half-time Salal doubled their lead through Mounir El Hamdaoui. Sanzhar Tursunov’s cross was flicked forward by Ilyas – over the head of defender Mohammed Abdurahman – and El Hamdaoui slotted the ball home for his seventh of the season.


 
Into the second half and it was more of the same. Kharaitiyat looked to press but were always vulnerable to the Salal counter. And it was the Orange Fortress who went closest to scoring when Welinton hit a powerful free-kick that needed a smart save from Ahmed Soufiane.
 
Minutes later and news filtered through that Al Wakrah had gone a goal up against QSC – and that score update was greeted with joy in the stands.
 
But soon after QSC equalised, and just seconds later Ismail Mardanli put Salal 3-0 up after a smart turn and shot in the penalty area.
 
Kharaitiyat looked down and out but were granted a lifeline in the 65^th minute. Dheyab Al Annabi was sent off for Salal after handling the ball on the goal-line and Yahia Kebe scored with the resulting penalty to make it 3-1.
 
The lifeline didn’t last long though. Just a couple of minutes later Salal won a penalty of their own, but Ilyas wasted the spot-kick with a shocking effort that failed to hit the target.
 
Kharaitiyat threatened with a free-kick from Waleed Jassem and kept pressing in the final ten minutes. Kebe scored another penalty in the 89^th minute to get them within a single goal but by then it was all about events at Al Wakrah Stadium and QSC’s efforts to force a winner. The fact they couldn’t meant Kharaitiyat clung on to their QSL status. The Thunders owe Al Wakrah – a side they beat 3-0 last week – a massive favor.