QNB Stars League - Week 6 highlights
A total of 13 goals were scored across the six matches of the QNB Stars League’s Week 6 fixtures played on Saturday and Sunday, November 21 and 22. The Al Duhail vs Al Gharafa and Al Arabi vs Al Sadd, dubbed the Qatar Derby, were the highlight games of the week.
Al Sadd emerged the highest scoring side of the fixtures with their four goals against Al Arabi, while the only encounter that ended in a goalless draw was between Al Khor and Al Sailiya.
At the end of the week, Al Sadd stood on top of the standings with 16 points, followed by Al Ahli (15), Al Gharafa (12) and Al Rayyan (10) in that order, while reigning champions Al Duhail slipped from third to fifth place as they stood on nine points.
Al Rayyan jumped from sixth to fourth spot with the victory.
Qatar SC gained much ground as they climbed from the bottom of the table to eighth position with six points.
Al Sailiya improved from seventh to sixth spot with eight points, while Al Wakrah (seven points) slipped from fifth to seventh, Al Kharaitiyat (six points) from eighth to ninth, Al Arabi (five points) from ninth to 10th and Umm Salal (four points) from 10th to last.
Below are the week’s highlights:
Al Rayyan 2 vs Al Kharaitiyat 0
Date: Sunday, November 22, 2020
Venue: Al Khor Stadium
Al Rayyan defeated Al Kharaitiyat 2-0 at the Al Khor Stadium on Sunday.
Abdulaziz Hatem (44th minute) and Yohan Boli (70th-minute penalty) scored the goals for Al Rayyan, who moved on to 10 points and fourth place.
It was the third victory for last season’s runners-up Al Rayyan, while promoted side Al Kharaitiyat crashed to their fourth defeat to remain on six points.
Al Rayyan players exhibited a show of support for their team captain Yacine Brahimi, who missed the match due to his illness. In the Algerian attacking midfielder’s absence, Boli led their charge.
Al Kharaitiyat had a goal scored by their spearhead Rachid Tiberkanine disallowed in the 18th minute. The Thunders’ woes were compounded in the 69th minute by the red card to their player Mohammed Shabaan for making a goalline save with his hand off a shot from Al Rayyan’s Mowafak Awad.
In the process, his team also conceded a penalty, which Boli easily converted.
Al Arabi 1 vs Al Sadd 4
Date: Sunday, November 22, 2020
Venue: Al Arabi Stadium
Al Sadd got the better of Al Arabi, winning 4-1 at the Al Arabi Stadium on Sunday.
For Al Sadd, Baghdad Bounedjah (12th minute), Santiago Cazorla (30th), Abdelkarim Hassan (61st) and Rodrigo Tabata (81st) scored the goals, while Aron Gunnarsson scored the only goal for Al Arabi off a deflected free-kick in the 74th minute.
Coached by Barca great Xavi Hernandez, Al Sadd exhibited fast attacking and delivered their fifth win from six matches. Al Sadd now have 16 points and continued to top the table.
Al Arabi, coached by Heimir Hallgrimsson, have five points.
Al Duhail 0 vs Al Gharafa 3
Date: Sunday, November 22, 2020
Venue: Al Arabi Stadium
Al Gharafa beat reigning champions Al Duhail 3-0 at the Al Arabi Stadium on Sunday.
Muad Hassan (41st and 59th minutes) and Ahmed Alaaeldin (87th minute) scored the goals as Al Gharafa posted their fourth win to be on 12 points and occupy the third place in the table. Al Duhail remained on nine points.
Al Gharafa opened the scoring with a miraculous run by Muad who ran solo for almost one third of the entire pitch. After receiving a cross from the center, he charged ahead with the ball, with Sultan Al Brake giving him a hot chase.
Muad was at it again as he beat Boudiaf with pace by grabbing a long cross first. After running a couple of yards with the ball, Muad fired from the edge of the box to score his team’s second goal with a right-foot drive that stayed low on its way into the net.
Ahmed Alaaeldin tapped one in deep into the game from close range to round off the tally.
Qatar SC 1 vs Al Wakrah 0
Date: Saturday, November 21, 2020
Venue: Qatar SC Stadium
Qatar SC defeated Al Wakrah 1-0 at the Qatar SC Stadium on Saturday.
New recruit Mohammed Youcef Belaili (17th-minute penalty) scored the only goal of the match. The second win took Qatar SC’s points tally to six, whereas Al Wakrah stood on seven points.
Belaili found Anthony Okpotu with a neat low cross close to the Al Wakrah box. After receiving the ball, the Nigerian striker surged ahead to shoot, but was brought down by Brazilian defender Lucas Mendes with a rough push.
Referee Nayef Al Kadiri immediately pointed to the spot and showed a yellow to Mendes in what was a fast-paced first half for both sides. Belaili calmly beat keeper Saoud Al Khater, slamming the ball past his right hand, for his first goal of the new season.
Al Khor 0 vs Al Sailiya 0
Date: Saturday November 21, 2020
Venue: Al Khor Stadium
Al Khor and Al Sailiya played out a goalless draw at the Al Khor Stadium on Saturday. Al Khor and Al Sailiya now have four and eight points respectively.
Al Sailiya, in full strength with the return from injury of some of their players, adopted a cautious approach in the first half, while Al Khor were in attacking mode more.
Things, however, changed in the second half, with Al Sailiya taking more initiative. Striker Abdulqadir Ilyas came off the bench replacing Fahad Waad around the hour mark. An off-color Tiago Bezerra missed a sitter in the 70th minute by sending his shot inches wide.
At the other end, Al Khor’s Loannis Fetfatzidid’s effort clipped the underside of crossbar.
Both teams continued to make attempts but failed to make a breakthrough.
Umm Salal 0 vs Al Ahli 2
Date: Saturday, November 21, 2020
Venue: Qatar SC Stadium
Al Ahli beat Umm Salal 2-0 at the Qatar SC Stadium on Saturday.
Nabil El Zhar (30th and 44th minutes) scored both goals for Al Ahli as they moved on to 15 points with their fifth victory. The Brigadiers, who are now back on top of the league table, have dropped points in only one match when they lost big-time (1-7) to Al Sadd.
Umm Salal remained on four points.
Al Ahli opened the scoring following a melee inside the Umm Salal box. After a few missed attempts by Al Ahli players, El Zhar fired a low shot that beat three defenders and the outstretched hand of goalkeeper Baba Malick before the ball crashed into the net.
The second goal came when El Zhar, after receiving a short cross from Umaru, unleashed a bullet close to the edge of Umm Salal box and beat keeper Malick with a powerful shot that crashed into the net.
Both teams failed to score any goal in the second half, where Umm Salal’s Roozbeh Mohammad (53th), Mohammed Terazor (73rd) and Moses Orkuma (90+6) received yellow cards.
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