It’s all change at the top of the QSL standings, with Lekhwiya regaining top-spot with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Al Kharaitiyat on Saturday evening. A brace from Moroccan hitman Yusef El Arabi and a goal from Yusef Msakni ensured that the Red Knights ended the weekend in first place going into the three week international break.

The reason why Lekhwiya clambered back to the top the table was thanks in part to Umm Salal holding Al Sadd to a 0-0 draw on Thursday evening. Mahmoud Jaber’s side put in a defensive masterclass to deny Sadd all three points in a finely poised encounter. To cap off a frustrating evening for the Wolves, Qatar international Hassan Haydoos missed a last minute penalty, which if converted would have all but guaranteed three points for Jesaldo Ferriera’s side.

Al Sailiya put in one of the performances of the weekend to defeat Al Gharafa 3-2 in a pulsating encounter. The game was not without drama with two of the games goals coming in second half stoppage time. On the 92^nd minute Gharafa midfielder Moayad Hassan slammed the ball into the back of the net to level the tie at 2-2. Whilst a minute later at the other end of the pitch, January signing Temurkhuja Abdukholiqov pounced on a rebound to give Sami Trabelsi’s side all three points, and relieve any relegation fears that they may have.



At the foot of the table and the bottom two sides suffered defeats and look increasingly cut adrift from safety. Al Wakrah are now seven points from safety following a 4-0 defeat by Al Rayyan, last season’s QSL champions have captain Rodrigo Tabata to thank for the win with the Qatar international grabbing a hat-trick and an assist in the game.

Whilst for Muaither, they fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat to El Jaish as their survival hopes took a major blow on Thursday evening. Phillipe Birol’s side took the lead via an Ayoub Ouadrassi penalty. But El Jaish came roaring back into the tie, with Malian midfielder Seydou Keita heading in the winner with ten minutes left to play.  Both sides will be using the break in the league to rally the side, ahead of three crucial games to determine their QSL futures.