Round 20 of the QSL season will see two title chasing sides face off, when last seasons QSL champions Al Rayyan take on the current league leaders Lekhwiya in a Friday evening game at Al Sadd stadium. Both sides have enjoyed undefeated starts to 2017 so far, and something may have to give as two of the leading sides in the QSL take on each other. 

For the home side Al Rayyan, they have won all six games of 2017 so far, and have consolidated third place in the QSL standings. Michael Laudrup’s side have improved significantly in defence during the new year, conceding only three goals in that period. The Lions are currently nine points behind Lekhwiya and know that a win could pile the pressure onto Djamel Belmadi’s side. 

Laudrup is no stranger to the Lekhiwya set-up having led the side to a league and cup double during the 2014/2015 QSL season. One player who aided him during this time was Qatar international striker Sebastian Soria who is now at Al Rayyan and could be a key player in this match. Soria has rediscovered his goal-scoring touch in recent weeks, registering two goals in his last three outings. The veteran attacker will have to be at his very best if Al Rayyan are to defeat the champions elect in Lekhwiya. 

As for Lekhwiya they have yet to taste defeat this league season, and are now only nine rounds away from going the whole season undefeated. Last time out they bulldozed though Al Khor with a 6-0 victory, which expressed their title credentials loud and clear. 

One of the characteristics of this Lekhwiya side is their unrelenting will to win, and this mentality has been provided by head coach Djamel Belmadi. In recent weeks Lekhwiya have been missing a host of key players through injury, suspension and AFCON and now it seems that players are coming back at the right time for the Red Knights. 

The sides leading scorer Yusef El Arabi made an immediate impact for his side on his first match representing Morocco in the AFCON. The former Granada striker notched a hat-trick in the 6-0 win over Al Khor, which took his tally to 20 goals in just 13 QSL games. Belmadi will certainly be expecting the Moroccan hit-man to be amongst the goals against Al Rayyan on Friday, with a victory over their rivals all but assuring that the title is heading back to Lekhiwya for a fifth time in the clubs history. 

Friday evening’s match certainly promises to be one to savour when the current QSL champions Al Rayyan take on the champions elect Lekhwiya at Al Sadd stadium. You can pick up half season tickets to see the game here.