Vladimir Weiss hugs Yousef Msakni (R) after his second goal against Qatar Sports Club in the Qatar Stars League yesterday. Picture: Anas Khalid
Sports Reporter/Doha
A brace by Yousef Msakni and a delightful volley from Vladimir Weiss gave defending champions Lekhwiya a 3-1 win over Qatar Sports Club yesterday.
It was Lekhwiya’s first match of the Qatar Stars League and although they showed a great deal of intent and flair, they would have heaved a sigh of relief after surviving several close shaves on the match, especially in the final 10 minutes.
After a disappointing show against Saudi side Al Hilal in the quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League on Tuesday, Lekhwiya had something to prove and they did so by launching their quest for a fifth QSL title in six years off to victorious start.
However, it was the determined Qatar Sports Club who took the lead in the 30th minute with Mohamed Omar’s clean grounder from just outside the area beating Lekhwiya goalkeeper Amine Lecomte all ends up.
Lekhwiya equalized 10 minutes later, Msakni scoring from the spot after Khalif Muftah was brought down on the edge of the area. Just on the stroke of half-time Lekhwiya could have gone a goal ahead but Mohamed Razaq’s wonderful bicycle kick saw the ball skim the post.
After both teams missed chances galore, Slovakian Weiss put Lekhwiya ahead for the first time with a neat volley from 10 yards of an Ahmed Yasser pass in the 8oth minute
Qatar Sports Club’s Mouhssine Iajour then missed two clear chances in a matter of two minutes, shooting straight to goalkeeper Lecomte after the Lekhwiya defence was caught napping and then sending the ball wide from a similar situation.
Msakni, however, sealed Lekhwiya’s win following a brilliant solo effort from the left flank that left the Qatar Sports defence in tatters.
Earlier, Al Arabi registered their second win of the season as they defeated Al Khor by a solitary goal at the Grand Hamad Stadium. Striker Yousef Ahmed scored the only goal of the match to secure three valuable points for Al Arabi Arabi.
The spotlight certainly is on Arabi this season since they brought in Gianfranco Zola as head coach and so far the Italian has managed to get the best out of his side with two wins from two games.
During the pre-match press conferences, the Italian reiterated that resurrecting Arabi and getting them back to where they belong is his primary objective. But he also requested patience to be afforded to him because the revival won’t happen overnight.
Yesterday’s performance against Khor will help Arabi fans believe in his philosophy that much more as the Dream Team looked more composed and worked as a team for large parts of the game. There was just one goal and that came early in the match – in the 24th minute. Midfielder Ali Jasemi sent a lob down the flank on the right for Yousef Ahmed. Al Khor defender Lee Yong couldn’t clear the ball and Yousef ran around him to slot the ball past the onrushing keeper.
It wasn’t the most powerful of shots as Yousef didn’t connect properly. The ball seemed to take an age to bobble over the line and defender Naif al-Buriki attempted a last ditch clearance which proved futile.
Possession was almost even with Arabi edging it slightly and created more chances.
There will be tougher challenges ahead and Zola might worry with his team’s low number of goals. However at the same time his side have conceded no goals so far.
