Round eight of the QSL season saw plenty of interesting developments at both ends of the table. Here in our regular feature talking points, QSL online picks out the stories that matter from the weekend’s action.

Business as usual at the top of the table

The eight round of QSL action saw the top four sides in the league register wins to maintain the status quo. Lekhwiya needed a goal from Captain Karim Boudiaf in the final ten minutes to see off a resilient Umm Salal 3-2 on Friday evening. Whilst league leaders El Jaish and current QSL champions Al Rayyan needed solitary goals for them to down Al Kharaitiyat and Muaither respectively.

Second place Al Sadd perhaps put in the performance of the round, relying on two late goals to defeat bitter rivals Al Arabi in the Doha derby 3-2. Captain Xavi and Algerian striker Bagdad Bounjah scored the goals to finish off an Al Arabi side that looked lively on the break. With the games coming thick and fast during December, the top sides will be relying on their squads to push them onto glory.

Things getting tough at Al Arabi

Al Arabi have now lost their last five QSL games, following their 3-2 Doha derby defeat to Al Sadd. Edison Aguirre’s side is now languishing in the relegation zone and will be desperate to arrest their winless streak.

The Dream Team may have spent big in the summer, but the side looked disjointed at times against Al Sadd, especially in defense. Al Arabi head to bottom of the table Al Wakrah in round nine, in what could be an early relegation six pointer for the side.  



Shahania show fight against Al Wakrah

After two straight heavy defeats in the league, many would have feared for Al Shahania after they conceded two first half goals against bottom of the table Al Wakrah on Friday evening. However head coach Jose Fernando will be pleased how his team battled back to share the points with a 2-2 draw.

The Oryx’s immediately found their way back in to the clash in first half stoppage time through Abdullah Al-Yazidi, who smartly finished after pouncing on a loose ball in the box. Shahania grew in confidence throughout the second half and completed the comeback with ten minutes to spare though Mohamed Tiaiba. After stopping the sequence of defeats, Shahania will be targeting a win against relegation threatened Al Kharaitiyat in round nine of the QSL season.