Lusail secured their first Qatar Stars League victory in emphatic fashion, thrashing Al Wakrah 4-0 at Lusail Stadium, while Al Shamal produced a late comeback to beat 10-man Al Shahania 4-2 in an eventful third-round clash at Al Bayt Stadium.
The victory marked Lusail’s first in the top flight since their establishment and promotion to the First Division after winning the Second Division League title last season. Lusail began their campaign with a 1-0 defeat to Al Rayyan before drawing 3-3 with Al Ahli.
Friday’s emphatic victory lifted the newly promoted side to four points, while Al Wakrah remain on one point and are still searching for their first win of the campaign.
Hamidreza Firouzi opened the scoring in the 12th minute for Lusail, firing a right-footed effort into the top-left corner after meeting a cross from Amin Pilali.
Lusail doubled their advantage seven minutes later when Rodrigo Moreno converted from the penalty spot after Al Wakrah defender Ali Al Mahdi brought down the goal-bound Firouzi.
The hosts extended their lead just before half-time, with Firouzi turning provider as Farhad Zavoshi rifled home from a difficult angle on the left. Lusail continued to dominate after the break, with Zavoshi completing his brace in the 57th minute to seal a convincing victory and compound Al Wakrah's misery.
At Al Bayt Stadium, Al Shamal scored three late goals to overturn a 2-1 deficit and beat Al Shahania 4-2.
Al Shamal took the lead in the 25th minute when Abdelkarim Hassan struck from outside the box, but Al Shahania equalised from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time through Francesco Antonucci.
Abdoulaye Traore then put Al Shahania ahead in the 54th minute after earlier having a goal ruled out for offside.
The turning point came in the 72nd minute when Al Shahania were reduced to 10 men after Andreas Van Beek was sent off for a dangerous challenge on Baghdad Bounedjah.
Al Shamal capitalised late, with Mowafak Awad scoring twice in the 80th and 90th minutes. He first connected with a Mohamed Ben Romdhane assist before converting Abdullah Al Ahrak's cross from close range.
Bounedjah completed the comeback in the 10th minute of added time, racing onto a through ball before beating the goalkeeper to make it 4-2.
The victory was Al Shamal's second of the season and moved them to seven points, while Al Shahania remain on three.
Sadd face Gharafa, Rayyan meet Al Duhail
Defending champions Al Sadd, who have won both of their league matches and reached the Qatar Cup final, face Al Gharafa Saturday, while Al Rayyan take on Al Duhail. Al Sadd coach Razvan Lucescu expects a demanding encounter against Al Gharafa, just three days after their Qatar Cup semi-final.
"We are playing another match three days after the Qatar Cup semi-final, but the team and players are ready to take on the challenge in order to achieve victory," Lucescu said.
The Romanian added that Al Sadd's objective is clear - to win and continue their positive start - while stressing that the league encounter would be different from their recent Qatar Cup meeting.
Al Gharafa coach Pedro Martins said his side had focused on tactical and strategic preparations during training. "We made some mistakes in the match against Al Sadd in the Qatar Cup, but it was an open and balanced match as we expected," Martins said.
"We must address the mistakes we made and avoid repeating them. I expect the match to be intense and open, with both teams adopting an attacking approach and relentlessly pursuing victory."
Martins also stressed the importance of taking chances against the champions. "In matches like these, we must increase our attacking efficiency in front of goal and strive to capitalise on opportunities, because small details make all the difference. Playing against a team like Al Sadd also requires a high level of concentration throughout the entire match," he said.
In the other fixture, Al Duhail coach Djamel Belmadi said his side are prepared for a difficult test against Al Rayyan at Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium. "The Al Rayyan match is considered one of the difficult matches in the league. We are preparing well for this type of match and we seek to appear in the appropriate manner," Belmadi said.
He acknowledged Al Rayyan's quality and history, adding that there was little to separate the two sides. "Certainly, there are slight differences between the two teams, and I don't see a big difference, but overall, the match will be difficult against a complete team that is one of the most prominent and distinguished teams in the league," he said.
Al Rayyan coach Vicente Moreno, meanwhile, is confident his side can maintain their winning start. "We are facing a very important match because we will be playing against a very good team, and we need to give our best if we want to win tomorrow, and I have confidence in my team," Moreno said.
He added: "I told the players at the beginning of the season that it was very important to win the first league games and now we have a very good chance to win our third game, and I am sure that we will play a good game."
Moreno also pointed to his side's greater recovery time, noting that Al Rayyan had more rest than Al Duhail following the latter's Qatar Cup semi-final, but remained confident his players would deliver.
