Al Sadd claim vital three points against Al Gharafa

Al Sadd the pressure up on league leaders Lekhwiya for the 2016/17 QSL Championship after beating Al Gharafa 3-0 in Friday’s 18.40 Round 18 QSL fixture at Al Sadd’s Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium.

Both sides headed into the game off the back of important wins against relegation threatened teams last time out and both were hoping for three points for their respective league battles, with Al Sadd hoping to claim the Championship and Al Gharafa a top four spot.

Al Sadd welcomed back their top scorer, Bagdad Bounjah, who returned for the game fresh from a stint at the 2017 AFCON with his national side Algeria. Despite Al Sadd dominating possession, and both Bounjah and Hamroun having their fair share of runs at Gharafa’s defence and attempts on goal, neither were able to seriously test Gharafa’s goalkeeper and find the back of the net and both teams went into the tunnel without a goal after 45 minutes of play.

Al Sadd came out in the second half looking the more determined team and nearly took the lead from the whistle when substitute Hamza Sanhaji found himself in the 18 yard box in space and on the end of a beautifully lifted cross that cleared Gharafa’s defence. Despite connecting well with the ball, Sanhaji’s header smashed off the post and Gharafa cleared their box.

Al Sadd kept up the pressure though which paid dividends just minutes later when The Wolves’ talismanic captain, Xavi Hernandez, gave them the lead.  Al Sadd’s Ali Assan made a darting run from the halfway line and took on three Gharafa defenders before squaring it to Xavi who had acres of space in the 18 yard box. It was an easy finish from 12 yards out for the former Barcelona star who had time to control the ball before shooting.

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The Wolves all but guaranteed the three points just under ten minutes later when Xavi played a lovely through ball to Sanhaji who wrong footed an Al Gharafa defender with a lovely cut back before hitting it on his left to bag Al Sadd’s second of the night and his fourth for the club. Sanhaji bagged Al Sadd’s third of the night in the dying minutes of the game to add to Al Sadd’s impressive goal difference.

Jesaldo Ferrira's men now sit top ahead of Lekhwiya on goal difference. Lekhwiya will play Al Arabi on Saturday 28 January at 18.40. Gharafa sit four points behind El Jaish in their hunt for a top four spot.