Qatar football giants Al Duhail yesterday beat Qatar SC 1-0 in their Qatar Stars League (QSL) Week 11 clash at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium.
Coached by Djamel Belmadi, Al Duhail secured a hard-fought 1–0 victory to get a much-needed boost as they look to climb back up the table following a mixed run of form in recent weeks. Ismaeel Mohammad scored the only goal of the match in the 55th minute.
The opening 45 minutes were a tactical battle with limited clear-cut chances. Both sides went into the tunnel at halftime locked at 0–0 though Al Duhail dominated the lion’s share of possession (over 70%).
Ten minutes into the second half, Ismaeel broke the deadlock. His 55th-minute strike proved to be the decisive moment of the match, finishing off a period of sustained pressure from the home side.
Qatar SC attempted to find an equalizer late in the game, but Al Duhail’s backline, bolstered by the presence of Bassam al-Rawi, held firm to secure the clean sheet and all three points.
In another thrilling match yesterday at Al Thumama Stadium, Al Rayyan and Al Arabi played out a 2–2 draw in their highly anticipated derby.
Roger Guedes initially rewarded Al Rayyan’s early offensive pressure with a clinical finish in the 35th minute, but the momentum shifted shortly after the halftime break when Pablo Sarabia equalized for Al Arabi in the 52nd minute.
The home side then appeared to have secured a victory after Alexis Pérez converted from close range in the 72nd minute to give Al Arabi their first lead of the match; however, Al Rayyan’s persistence paid off deep into stoppage time when Mohammed Saleh found the back of the net in the 95th minute to rescue a dramatic point for the Lions.
In the day’s last match, Al Sailiyah and Al Wakrah played a goalless draw.