Khor look to ease relegation fears against Mesaimeer
 
Al Khor vs Mesaimeer (Al Khor Stadium, kick-off 6:00 PM)
 
Al Khor still have work to do to avoid the drop, while Mesaimeer only have pride to play for after their relegation was confirmed earlier this month.
 
The Knights beat Qatar Sports Club in a relegation six-pointer two weeks ago to move on to 25 points before the round 22 defeat to Lekhwiya.
 
Victory over the Kings gave Khor some breathing space but they still need to pick up points to be certain of retaining their QSL status. And a match against this season’s whipping boys Mesaimeer is the perfect opportunity to move up the table.
 
Mesaimeer have endured a miserable maiden season in the QSL. Rodion Gacanin’s men have lost all but three of their matches so far but did well recently to secure a morale-boosting 1-1 draw with high-flying El Jaish.
 
Khor’s form has been mixed throughout this season but they’ll be confident of picking up three points this weekend. If they don’t, a relegation dogfight will almost certainly ensue.
 
In-form Cheetahs look to pile pressure on lowly Kharaitiyat
 
Al Gharafa vs Al Kharaitiyat (Gharafa Stadium, kick-off 8:15 PM)
 
Al Gharafa’s impressive recent form has given them a slim chance of qualifying for the Qatar Cup.
 
The Cheetahs are unbeaten in five matches and will be aiming to further boost their top four hopes against struggling Al Kharaitiyat on Saturday.
 
The recent arrivals of Vladimir Weiss and Krisztian Nemeth have significantly boosted Gharafa’s forward line, while new boss Pedro Caixinha is certainly having a positive influence on a squad which has struggled for consistency for much of the campaign.
 
Kharaitiyat on the other hand are in grave danger of slipping into the bottom two. Qatar Sports Club’s recent resurgence has had several sides looking nervously over their shoulders, including the Thunders. They’re currently just a point ahead of the Kings and desperately need to pick up points in order to avoid joining Mesaimeer in the Qatar Gas League next season.
 
With Gharafa in fine form, it’s hard to predict anything but a win for the Cheetahs. But with Amar Osim’s men battling for their lives, anything could happen in this encounter.