Al Arabi beat Al Sailiya in Week 17, Al Gharafa and Al Sadd pick up points

Al Arabi beat Al Sailiya 4-1 in Week 17 of the 2022-2023 season QNB Stars League at the Al Arabi Stadium yesterday.
The win also saw Al Arabi regain the top spot in the rankings with 37 points from 17 matches, while Al Sailiya remained at the bottom with nine points from 17 matches.
Al Arabi, however, had to rally after being a goal down before Omar al-Somah and Yousef Msakni scored a brace each for them.
While Mehrdad Mohamadi scored for Al Sailiya in the eighth minute of the match, Al Arabi replied through al-Somah’s goals in the 32nd and 45+1 minute, and with Msakni’s strikes in the 63rd and 85th minutes.
Al Sailiya made a good start with Mohamadi scoring a fine goal, making an about turn, after receiving a cross from Ahmad Sebaie. With the goalkeeper rushing out, Mohamadi found the target with ease.
Al Arabi then staged a rally with Msakni striking from the top left of the box, but the ball bounced out of Al Sailiya goalkeeper Claude Amine’s hands, but a lurking al-Somah pounced on the chance to score. The Dream Team then fetched the lead after a long free-kick was punched off by goalkeeper Amine, but Al Arabi players relayed the ball back into the danger area for al-Somah to repeat his goal-scoring act.
In the second half, it was Msakni show as the Tunisian scored from the right in front of the goal. The fourth goal of the match saw Msakni get to the ball near the goalline and go past two defenders to beat the goalkeeper. Msakni was provided the assist by Mohamed Salah El Neel.
Also yesterday, Al Gharafa got back to winning ways by beating Umm Salal 2-1 at the Al Gharafa Stadium. Al Gharafa’s goals were scored by Yacine Brahimi (35th-minute penalty) and Ahmed al-Janahi (57th minute). Joao Teixeira pulled one back for Umm Salal in 90+4 minute.
Al Gharafa moved on to 26 points from 17 matches with their seventh victory, while Umm Salal stood on 13 points from 17 games.
In the third match of the day, Al Sadd came back from being a goal down to beat Al Shamal 3-1 at the Al Arabi Stadium.
The reigning champions suffered a reversal at the very start with an own goal, but then stormed back to overwhelm their opponents in distinct fashion.
Boualem Khoukhi scored two goals for Al Sadd (52 and 90+1).
In between, Akram Afif added a goal in the 73rd minute.