By Sports Reporter/Doha
The Qatar Stars League has been a two-horse race this season, but even then the last few days have thrown up a few thrills and spills.
That could well be the case towards the fag end of the tournament too as Lekhwiya and Al Sadd fancy their chances of outracing each other in the quest for the ultimate prize.
Lekhwiya , of course, are much better-placed as they are five points ahead and can seal the title if they win today. In case, they lose to Al Ahli, they still can wrap up the title on the last day of the tournament.
Al Ahli’s last match with Lekhwiya in the Qatar Stars League ended in a draw in December and coach Michael Laudrup was keen to avoid a similar situation.
“We played them back in December and it was a very tight game,” said Laudrup.
“We need to win this to win the title so it is a highly important game and the players know this. Al Ahli will also be motivated as they try to finish higher in the league standings.”
Lekhwiya will be hampered by the absence of some key players including captain Luiz Martin Junior through suspensions, but Laudrup stressed they have enough players to do the job.
“Well it’s true we have some important players out because of suspensions, but the payers who will come in know that if we win then we will take the league. So the motivation is already there, I just hope the replacements can do as good a job as the players who they replace.”
Laudrup also hinted that the result of his team’s last QSL match against Al Shahaniya, which ended in a 3-3 draw and delayed their title celebrations, could have been different had the refereeing been good.
“Regarding the previous game, I don’t think the players lost focus. I can’t really talk about this game because then I have to speak about the referee’s performance and I don’t want to be punished,” he said.
Al Ahli coach Zlatko Kranj?ar was, meanwhile, focused on the possibility of his team taking fifth place. They are sixth on the table with 35 points and can overtake Al Gharafa who have 36.
“Even though we are approaching the end of the season, we have motivation. Lekhwiya will be a tough game but we are trying to get into 5th position,” said Kranj?ar, a former Dinamo Zagreb, Yugoslavia and Croatia striker.
“Both teams will miss players but Lekhwiya has a stronger bench and so I expect them to still put out a quality team.
“Losing the previous game was frustrating but it hasn’t changed anything with regards to motivation.”
He said Alain Dioko, the top scorer of the QSL, will be the key to his side’s success.
“Dioko has scored so many goals and that speaks for itself. He is a great player who ranks amongst some of the top strikers in Europe, he has all the major attributes, explosive, creative, natural leader and we hope to have him in the team for a long time.”
The Croat added his team would be aiming to exploit the pressure which Lekhwiya have been carrying as title favourites.
“In the last game, Lekhwiya came undone, the pressure got to them and we hope to also utilise this pressure. They are at the end of a long season and they didn’t have a great game it is not easy to play a team fighting for its survival. So I think in a way the game tomorrow will be a repeat as Lekwhiya need to win and we have to try and stop them.”
Michael Laudrup
