Al Sadd thrashed Al Gharafa 4-1 at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Saturday to make it three straight wins in the Qatar Stars League (QSL). The unbeaten defending champions moved top of the table with nine points, while Al Gharafa slipped to ninth with three points after suffering their second defeat.
Yusuf Abdurisag began the goal-scoring for The Wolves converting a Roberto Firmino cross with ease in the very 5th minute of the game. Abdurisag then did a celebratory jig along with Akram Afif and Firmino much to the delight of their fans. The Al Sadd mood continued with Claudinho added a second goal in the 12th minute. Left unmarked, the Brazilian midfielder flicked in an Afif lob to score.
Afif himself joined the party in the second session (50th minute) as he broke through the ranks and beat the rival goalkeeper depositing the ball in the right corner. Al Gharafa got one on board in the 82nd minute as Yacine Brahimi collected a Florinel Coman cross to shoot high centre into the net.
Al Sadd however continued to rule the roost and a fast break in the 90+3' saw Firmino sliding, inside right in the box, to connect a Boualem Khoukhi assist. A fifth for Al Sadd seemed on its way in a final stoppage-time attempt but Younes El Hannach's shot from the right side of the box was cut off in the top centre by Al Gharafa's goalkeeper Khalifa Ababacar.
Al Duhail hold Al Rayyan 1-1
Earlier at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Al Duhail held Al Rayyan to a 1-1 draw in their third round match. The result ended The Lions’ winning run but took their tally to 7 points, while Al Duhail moved to 5 points with their second draw result in the league so far.
Al Rayyan made an early breakthrough with Roger Guedes directing home a Jassem Gaber header following a corner kick in the 5th minute of the match. Al Duhail came close to equalizing in added time of first half but Al Rayyan goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada stood in the way.
The Red Knights succeeded later in the 72nd minute when an alert Tahsin Mohammed cashed in on a defence error. He grabbed the ball and made a left-footed strike from top of the box into the left corner. Al Rayyan pushed hard for a winner towards the end but it remained elusive.
