Sport

Qatar’s Al Gharafa and UAE’s Al Wasl will be keen to strengthen their claims for a spot in the knockout stage when they meet in the AFC Champions League Elite 2024-25 at the Al Bayt Stadium today at 7pm.Both teams are on three points and a victory today will keep them not only ahead of the teams below them but could also vault them further up the standings.Gharafa reversed their opening day defeat against Iran’s Esteghlal FC with a sensational 4-2 win over AFC Champions League 2023-24 winners Al Ain FC of the UAE. Forward Joselu starred with a brace in the win against Al Ain and Al Gharafa will be counting on home ground advantage for victory against Al Wasl, with the two sides meeting for the first time on the continental stage.Gharafa’s Portuguese coach Pedro Martins, while addressing the media ahead of the match against Al Wasl, said: “We played the last match two days ago and began recovery training and preparation to work on our strategy for this match. Everyone is ready to continue the positive results and the Al Wasl match represents an important step for us.”He added, “We are very close to achieving the required balance for the team, and all the players are enjoying what they are offering. Al Wasl are a team who are distinguished by their competitive ability and we must focus on what our team must offer against a very strong rival.”Gharafa’s star player Yacine Brahimi pointed to Al Wasl’s capabilities, saying: “It is true that Al Wasl did not start at the same level as last season but they can create problems for any team. As far as we are concerned, we are completely focused on this match. We know the value of Al Wasl well and we know the importance of winning this match.”UAE champions Al Wasl opened their campaign with an impressive 1-0 away defeat of Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor but were undone at home by a 2-0 loss against Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli Saudi FC. Their only previous meeting with a Qatari club in the AFC Champions League were two defeats to Al Sadd and they will be seeking to win a second successive game on the continental stage in a single season for the first time.Al Wasl’s Serbian coach Milos Milojevic, said: “We are heading towards a difficult match during which we look forward to presenting our best to get the desired result and recover from our loss in the last round.”He added: “We respect Al Gharafa and they have very talented players. I expect the game to be tough and the victory will go to the team with the least mistakes, and I hope that tomorrow’s game will be better than the game we played against Al Ahli Saudi”.Wasl striker Haris Seferovic emphasised the importance of the match. “I hope to maintain our level in tomorrow’s match against Al Gharafa and achieve a result that our fans happy,” he concluded.The best eight clubs from each zone (of 12 teams) qualify for the Round of 16, ahead of the quarter-finals to be played in Saudi Arabia from April 25 to May 4, 2025.

Qatar’s Al Sadd boosted their hopes of reaching the AFC Champions League Elite last 16 after edging Persepolis of Iran 1-0 at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium yesterday. Mateus Uribe’s first half stoppage time goal was enough to seal the three points for the Qatari giants, who are on seven points, while Persepolis are six adrift.“It was a very tough match, and we played well to secure the win. Our defence was outstanding, helping us earn three crucial points,” said Al Sadd coach Felix Sanchez. “Despite the tight schedule, the team is working hard, and I’m pleased with the performance of my players. They remain focused.”Persepolis came into the tie desperate to get their campaign back on track but it was the home side who threatened first with Boualem Khoukhi sending his free-kick over the bar in the fourth minute.Persepolis squandered a chance moments later, Lucas Joao squaring the ball for Omid Alishah, whose effort from above the area was easily dealt with by Al Sadd keeper Meshaal Barsham.A stray back pass from Cristo Gonzalez almost caught Al Sadd off guard in the 10th minute with Vahid Amiri pouncing on the chance, only for Masoud Rigi to shoot just over the bar from distance. Sadd went close in the 17th minute when Akram Afif fed Guilherme off a short corner, whose deflected low effort needed intervention from Persepolis keeper Alexis Guendouz. Persepolis almost took the lead in the 37th minute when Omid Alishah intercepted Tarek Salman’s backpass, producing a save from Barsham, before Rigi’s follow-up was cleared off the line by Guilherme.However, it was Sadd who broke the deadlock in first half stoppage time with Uribe turning the ball into the back of the net from inside a packed six-yard-box off Afif’s corner. Sadd almost doubled their advantage in the 50th minute but Afif’s run was cut short by an alert Guendouz.Barsham was kept busy, denying Soroush Rafiei’s long-range effort in the 68th minute before foiling Isa Alekasir’s header in the 88th minute, with Alishah rattling the crossbar in the closing stages as Al Sadd held on to seal the second win of their campaign. Persepolis will look to revive their campaign when they meet Al Gharafa of Qatar on 4 November, while Al Sadd take on Saudi Arabia’s Al Wasl.Ahli beat RayyanMeanwhile, Al Rayyan went to down to Saudi side Al Ahli 1-2 at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium yesterday. Strikes from Gabri Veiga and Feras al-Brikan gave Ahli a healthy cushion heading into the break, with an own goal from Fahad al-Hamad proving a mere consolation for Rayyan.Rayyan missed an early chance to take the lead after Trezeguet muscled his way into the left side of the area before cutting the ball across for Hazem Shehata, whose shot was turned away for a corner by Ibanez. The visitors came close to finding a way through in the 12th minute when al-Brikan surged into the box to set up Ivan Toney at the far end, but Rayyan keeper Paulo Victor was quick to intervene.Ahli’s high-pressing approach was rewarded four minutes later when Veiga opened the scoring when he curled the ball into the back of the net directly from the corner. Al-Brikan and Ibanez continued to torment Rayyan with both having their efforts denied by Victor as the Qatari side struggled to contain Ahli’s advances. Ahli, however, were not to be denied a second goal in the 38th minute after Riyad Marez delivered a pin-point cross for al-Brikan to convert with a glancing header.Rayyan started the second half much brighter and Roger Guedes went close in the 47th minute after he burst through the centre but fired wide. Ahli wasted a great chance to extend their lead in the 63rd minute when Franck Kessie lobbed the ball to an Toney, who had both his efforts from point blank range saved by Victor.Rayyan pulled one back in the 65th minute after Murad Naji Hussein’s dangerous cross into the box was turned into the back of the net by al-Hamad while keeper Abdulrahman al-Sanbi had to be at his best to deny Guedes’ headed attempt in the 84th minute as the visitors held on to seal the win.Rayyan will face Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor FC on November 5, with Ahli playing Al Shorta of Iraq.

Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan had to settle for runner-up spot at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Joao Pessoa Elite16 in Brazil on Sunday. The Qatari duo lost to Tokyo Olympic champions Anders Mol and Christian Sorum of Norway 27-25, 17-21, 17-19 in the final after almost seventy minutes of action. Reigning Olympic champions David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig of Sweden took bronze. Mol and Sorum were just two points away from having to settle for silver when Cherif and Tijan built a 13-10 lead in the tie-breaker, but came back to win the thrilling clash. It was the 14th duel between the teams and the tenth time that a tie-breaker was needed to determine the winners.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said yesterday he wants striker Kylian Mbappe to focus on scoring goals over pressing to help the team. The Spanish and European champions have not been at their peak this season and are still searching for the best way to incorporate the former Paris Saint-Germain superstar following his arrival this summer.Madrid lost on the road at Lille in their last Champions League outing and host Borussia Dortmund today in a rematch of last season’s final, which they won to earn a record-extending 15th European crown. “I prefer that (Mbappe) scores goals than he presses,” Ancelotti told a news conference. “The central striker position in our team has not changed, I ask him the same I asked of Karim (Benzema, who left in 2023). To be well positioned and to be ready every time we get the ball back to make a rapid transition.”Mbappe has scored eight goals for Madrid in 12 games across all competitions this season, compared to Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski’s 14 in 12 appearances. The forward drew criticism in his homeland for not playing in France’s recent Nations League games after recovering from a thigh injury.Swedish media reported he is being investigated over an alleged rape in Stockholm following a trip there during the international break, with Mbappe labelling the reports as “fake news”. One of the knock-on effects of Mbappe’s arrival at Madrid is a more defensive role for Jude Bellingham, who was Los Blancos’ key attacking figure last season.The former Borussia Dortmund midfielder is yet to score for the club this season in nine games, after netting 10 in his first 10 appearances last year. “We’re satisfied with his work... because he works a lot on the pitch, he’s always there, he competes, fights, sacrifices himself,” said Ancelotti.“The truth is he hasn’t scored the goals he did last year, but the surprise isn’t this year, it’s last year, he scored a heap of goals that no-one expected... We’ve always scored goals and we’ll always score goals, we have players with great attacking talent up front... so for us at this moment, the work he is doing is much more important for us.”Ancelotti said Madrid’s array of attacking stars, also including Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes, means the team enjoy end-to-end matches. “I want (rock and roll football) because I have players with these characteristics,” continued Ancelotti.“We find it harder to play a game based on possession and control because we don’t have players with characteristics to play in reduced spaces. A back and forth game suits us well, but we’re focussed on defending better as we did very well last year.”Dortmund trained in Germany before flying to Madrid yesterday, with German media suggesting they were afraid of the Spanish giants watching their session. “We need a strong mentality, the game has to go our way to be able to survive here,” Dortmund coach Nuri Sahin told a news conference after arriving at the Bernabeu.The former Madrid player said his struggling team, seventh in the Bundesliga, needed to work together to stop Mbappe, Vinicius and company. “It’s only possible (to succeed) as a collective, not just against these two, but against all of Real’s players,” he continued. “Of course, every coach thinks of (a plan) and the lads know what to do, but we also want to be brave.”Midfielder Julian Brandt said the key was closing down Madrid players quickly. “It’s about working even more defensively...you probably shouldn’t give them any breathing room to get close to our goal,” said Brandt. “The defence will be a big factor, but we don’t just want to focus on it, we also want to get forward.”

Al Sadd and Al Arabi registered victories in the Qatar Cup basketball tournament at the Qatar Basketball Federation Hall yesterday. Sindou Ismael Diallo’s match-high 38 points went in vain as Al Sadd defeated Al Wakrah 103-93. Omar Mohamed Saad also scored 21 points for the losers. For Al Sadd, Skyler Tyrone Flatten and Elhadj Seydou Ndoye netted 25 (2 rebounds, 3 assists) and 24 points respectively. Babacar Dieng contributed 18 points.In the first match of the day, Al Arabi defeated Al Rayyan 84-65 as Wael Arakji scored match-high 28 points (3 rebounds, 5 assists) and Victor Rudd netted 20 points. For Al Rayyan, Tyler James Lee Harris and Jistin Jamel Wright-Foreman scored 18 and 17 points respectively.Abdulla Yassin Mousa also chipped in with 11 points.

Doha: Ooredoo, Qatar’s leading telecommunications provider, has announced a new sponsorship agreement with Rafeeq, Doha’s premier online food delivery service, making it one of the race’s silver sponsors. The agreement was officially signed at Rafeeq’s headquarters, with Sabah al-Kuwari, Vice-Chairman of the Doha Marathon by Ooredoo Committee, and Abdullah bin Thamer al-Hemeidi, CEO of Rafeeq.Sabah al-Kuwari commented on the partnership, saying: “Rafeeq has established itself as the number one online food delivery platform in Doha, and we are proud to welcome them as a Silver Sponsor for the 2025 edition of the Doha Marathon by Ooredoo. This partnership aligns perfectly with our commitment to promoting a healthier, more active lifestyle in the community. We look forward to a successful event that brings the community together for a great cause, while also promoting Ooredoo’s vision of innovation and connectivity.”Abdullah bin Thamer al-Hemeidi, said: “We are thrilled to collaborate with Ooredoo, a company that shares our vision for community engagement and wellness. The Doha Marathon is a significant event in Qatar’s sporting calendar, and we are honoured to contribute to its success while supporting an active, connected lifestyle. We look forward to bringing our platform’s support to participants and ensuring that they have a positive, engaging experience.”As a prestigious World Athletics Gold Label Road Race, the 13th edition of the Doha Marathon by Ooredoo is set to be the largest to date, attracting up to 15,000 local and international participants.As one of the most anticipated events in Qatar’s sporting calendar, the marathon will include a wide range of categories to suit all ages and abilities, from professional athletes to amateur runners to even children.

Aryna Sabalenka’s return to top spot in the WTA rankings after leapfrogging Iga Swiatek has set up a thrilling end to the season, with next month’s WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia likely to prove decisive in the race to end the year as world number one.Sabalenka has enjoyed a spectacular season, defending her Australian Open title in January and adding the US Open trophy to her cabinet last month, as well as enjoying victories in Cincinnati and Wuhan.Players are mandated to compete in six WTA 500 events but Swiatek’s decision to skip the tour’s Asian swing due to fatigue meant the French Open champion will only manage to play in two this season. The penalties saw her drop below Poland’s Sabalenka in the rankings.Sabalenka spent eight weeks at the summit last year before Swiatek overtook her with a victory at the season-ending WTA Finals and the Belarusian hopes for a longer stay as ‘N1’.“N1... Let’s see for how long this time,” she posted on X yesterday after the latest rankings were released.Sabalenka is also not in action this week after her Wuhan success and will lose points for only playing in four WTA 500 events. She currently has 9,706 points while Swiatek has 9,665 ahead of the Finals, which will offer 1,500.The Finals will be held on hard courts in Riyadh from Nov. 2-9 and feature the top eight singles players and doubles teams.Coco’s US team to face Canada in United Cup group stageTop seeds the United States will face neighbours Canada in the group stage when Coco Gauff makes her debut in the third edition of the United Cup mixed team tournament in Sydney and Perth at the start of next season.World number three Gauff will be joined in the US team by Taylor Fritz, Denis Kudla, Robert Galloway, Desirae Krawczyk and Danielle Collins, who recently backtracked on her decision to retire at the end of the 2024 season.At yesterday’s draw, the Americans were also pitted against an as yet undecided nation in Group A, which will be played out in Perth.The 17th and 18th teams will be decided based on the rankings of Nov. 19, but organisers confirmed that Serbia’s Novak Djokovic has decided not to make the tournament part of his preparations for a tilt at an 11th Australian Open title.Reigning champions Germany, who will be spearheaded by world number three Alexander Zverev, face China, who feature Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, and Brazil in Group E, also in Perth.Zverev looks set to be the highest ranked man in the tournament in the absence of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, while world number five Daniil Medvedev’s Russia remains barred by sanctions put in place after the invasion of Ukraine. Belarus is excluded for the same reason so Australian and US Open winner Aryna Sabalenka will be absent, but five-times Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek headlines a strong Polish team also featuring Hubert Hurkacz. The Poles, runners-up last year, will play their Group B matches against the Czech Republic and Norway in Sydney.“I think this year’s entry list is probably the strongest overall that we’ve seen in the three years of the competition,” said tournament director Stephen Farrow. “We’ve got six of the seven of the top 10 players in the world on the women’s side, six of the top 12 on the men’s side. And it is going to be an absolutely brilliant competition.”

Against the timeless backdrop of the pyramids, Premier Padel brought a spectacular blend of sport, culture, and heritage to life with an unforgettable exhibition match at the Grand Egyptian Museum.As the sun set over Cairo, padel stars from around the world took to the court, captivating fans with thrilling rallies and showcasing the sport’s rapid global rise.The event, held ahead of the highly anticipated NewGiza Premier Padel P2, drew together elite athletes including Argentine sensations Franco Stupaczuk (No 7 FIP and former NewGiza P1 Champion), Maxi Sanchez (No 22 FIP), Qatar’s Mohamed Saadoun, and local hero Khaled Nagy. On the women’s side, Spanish ace Marta Ortega (No 7 FIP) and Portugal’s Sofia Araujo (No.9 FIP) joined Egypt’s rising stars Mora Hakin and Laila El Memr, delivering electrifying matches that highlighted the spirit of competition and camaraderie.The event featured the presence of Dr Ashraf Sobhy Amer, Minister of Youth and Sports; Khaled El Shawarby, Tournament Director; Luigi Carraro, President of the International Padel Federation (FIP); and David Sugden, CEO of Premier Padel.Their speeches underscored the rapid growth of padel, both in Egypt and around the world, as they highlighted how events like this help drive the sport’s popularity and build local communities.A historic setting for a modern sport The Grand Egyptian Museum, which just opened its main galleries on October 16 for a trial run, served as the perfect venue for this unique celebration. With its stunning architecture and proximity to the pyramids of Giza, the museum has quickly become a symbol of Egypt’s rich cultural heritage. The museum provided a breathtaking setting that underscored the blend of ancient history and modern sport. As the players battled it out on the court, guests enjoyed an evening that married the elegance of the sport with the grandeur of the Grand Egyptian Museum.The exhibition matches served as a perfect prelude to the upcoming NewGiza Premier Padel P2, and guests were treated to an evening where skill and spectacle took centre stage.The exhibition match has set the stage for the main event: the NewGiza Premier Padel P2, running from October 21-26 at the NewGiza Sports Club.The tournament, now in its second edition, promises to bring more action-packed matches.In 2022, Franco Stupaczuk, one of the evening’s stars, took home the title while battling veteran Pablo Lima.This year’s competition is expected to be even fiercer, with top talents vying for glory in Cairo.

South Africa posted 140-6 yesterday in an action-packed first day of the opening Test, after Bangladesh collapsed to 106 all out with Kagiso Rabada celebrating being the fastest to take 300 Test wickets.The visitors took the lead, reaching 140-6 in 41 overs in reply at stumps at Mirpur, with Wiaan Mulder and Kyle Verreynne not out for 17 and 18 respectively.Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bat but four of their top six batsmen failed to reach double figures, with opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy top-scoring with 30 on a lively pitch.Seamers Rabada, Mulder and left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj took three wickets apiece for South Africa.Bangladesh were teetering at 40-4 when Rabada bowled Mushfiqur Rahim on 11, as the South African celebrated reaching the 300-wicket landmark.He managed the feat in 11,817 balls, the fastest of all time, beating Pakistan’s Waqar Younis (12,602 balls).Rabada soon made it 301 Test wickets, removing Litton Das for one, with Bangladesh crumbling, all out for 106 in 40.1 overs.Rabada said he was “really surprised at how the wicket played out”.“Test cricket should offer a fair contest between bat and ball, where bowlers get something if they bowl well, and batters can score if they apply themselves,” he said.“With 16 wickets on day one, I’d say it’s leaning towards the bowlers,” he added. Right-arm seamer Hasan Mahmud brought Bangladesh the first success in the first over after the innings change, removing South African captain Aiden Markram for six off seven deliveries.Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam - Bangladesh’s main seamer in the absence of Shakib Al Hasan - then boosted his team after he bagged a five-for, to become only the second Bangladeshi to take 200 wickets in Tests after Shakib.“Many bowlers have 200, or 300-400 wickets,” Taijul said. “But we don’t play many Test matches - still, I’m one of the Bangladeshi bowlers who have 200 wickets, and I’m happy for this.”He kept the team’s spirits up, saying it was possible the match was “still in our hands” to win.The Test is the first international cricket fixture in Bangladesh since a student-led revolution toppled autocratic premier Sheikh Hasina in August.Bangladesh are missing all-rounder Shakib after security fears forced him to cancel plans to return home.Shakib announced his retirement from international cricket last month but said that he wanted to play one last red-ball series at home.The 37-year-old was also a former lawmaker in the government ousted by the revolution, making him a target of public anger.Bangladesh have never beaten South Africa in a Test. The second Test begins in Chattogram on October 29.BRIEF SCORESSouth Africa 140 for 6 (de Zorzi 30, Rickelton 27, Taijul 5-49) lead Bangladesh106 (Mahmudul 30, Mulder 3-22, Rabada 3-26, Maharaj 3-34) by 34 runs

Abdulaziz al-Kuwari yesterday became the fifth Qatar driver to win FIA Middle East Rally Championship (MERC) as he and his co-driver Nasser al-Kuwari finished third at the Cyprus Rally in their Skoda Fabia RS to seal the maiden title.However, Qatar’s five-time Dakar Rally winner Nasser al-Attiyah with Italian co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini won the rally in his Skoda Fabia R5.“We have won the FIA Middle East Rally Championship for the first time. For me, the result is a great victory because the race here in Cyprus is difficult. You cannot close your eyes for a moment; you’re always on alert. Only in the last special stage, we were more relaxed and enjoyed it. We didn’t push hard, but the most important thing is that we won the title,” Abdulaziz al-Kuwari said.With the win, the 45-year-old Abdulaziz al-Kuwari ended al-Attiyah’s winning streak of 13 consecutive championship titles. Al-Kuwari headed to Cyprus with a considerable lead, just needing to finish the rally to achieve the historic milestone. The al-Kuwari brothers settled for third place, which secured them the necessary points for the championship title. This was Abdulaziz’s seventh participation in the Cyprus Rally, and it is certainly one he will never forget.Al-Muhannadi al-Hamoud finished fifth with another Skoda Fabia R5 in the colours of Qatar, also prepared by the Latvian SRT team.Saeed al-Hajri, Hamad bin Eid al-Thani, Misfer al-Marri and the 19-time champion Nasser al-Attiyah are the other Qatari drivers to win the title.Al-Attiyah took the lead one special stage before the finish due to the retirement of Simos Galatariotis-Antonis Ioannou, who had been leading the race since the second special stage. Ultimately, their ageing Volkswagen Polo GTi gave out with a steering system issue (link arm broken) one stage before the end, in a repeat of last year’s scenario where the crew had been leading but retired, clearing the way for al-Attiyah to win.The top Cypriot crew, Panagiotis Yiangou-Aristos Nicolaou, finished in second place with a Hyundai i20 R5, ahead of the brothers Abdulaziz and Nasser al-Kuwari from Qatar, who finished third with a Skoda Fabia R5 and were crowned FIA Middle East Rally Champions for the first time. The ceremonial finish and awards ceremony took place at Makariou Avenue, in the heart of Nicosia.Al-Attiyah and Galatariotis had a fierce battle, with the Cypriot leading by 49.9 seconds after the first loop on Saturday. The gap was reduced to 38 seconds in the afternoon, to 6.9 seconds by yesterday midday, and finally to 1.5 seconds two special stages before the finish, as Nasser was going flat out — winning all of yesterday’s stages and half of Saturday’s (three).Al-Attiyah won the Cyprus Rally for the first time with a Skoda Fabia — it was only his second rally with his new car — having previously secured three wins with a Volkswagen Polo and five with a Ford Fiesta. For Bernacchini, this marks his fourth victory and his first since 2014, as al-Attiyah had won the Cyprus Rally five times in the interim with Mathieu Baumel as his co-driver. Panagiotis Yiangou-Aristos Nicolaou had a great battle with Petros Panteli-Pampos Laos (Renault Clio), who were forced to change a tyre in the second stage yesterday, losing three minutes and their spot on the podium. They ultimately finished fourth, one position higher than last year, having delivered a strong performance with six Top 3 finishes in the special stages.

Qatar’s Al Sadd will aim to continue their fine start when they host Iran’s Persepolis to the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium for their AFC Champions League Elite tie today.The Felix Sanchez team is on four points after two matches with Iran’s Persepolis needing victory after having opened their campaign with a draw and a defeat.“All the matches of the continental championship and tomorrow’s match are very tough, and we will try to maintain our upward path and achieve the desired result,” said Sanchez.Although The Wolves did not appear in the knockout stage at the continental level in the last three editions of the AFC Champions League, they will head into the tie against Persepolis not having lost at the group stage in their past four matches.A 2-0 defeat of Persepolis’ domestic rivals Esteghlal earlier has boosted confidence and AFC Champions 2011 winners Al Sadd will be aiming for a second successive win to stay in the race for a spot in the Round of 16.Persepolis are in desperate need of a win, with the two-time AFC Champions League runners-up having had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Uzbekistan’s Pakhtakor after an opening match 1-0 defeat to Al Ahli Saudi FC. The Iranian champions, however, have won four of their seven previous encounters against Al Sadd and will be hopeful of extending their record.Al Sadd showed good form by scoring a 4-2 win over Al Shahania in Qatar Stars League match and it is certain that coach Sanchez is working to prepare the team for the strong match against Persepolis.Qatar goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham also hoping for a good result against Iran side.“A very difficult match awaits us, and we will do our best in order to appear strong,” said Barsham.Meanwhile, Qatar’s Al Rayyan SC will be desperate to end their losing run against clubs from Saudi Arabia when they play Al Ahli Saudi in the Group B match today.Al Rayyan are still in search of their first points after suffering defeats to Al Hilal SFC and Al Nassr Club while Al Ahli have a perfect six points.Al Rayyan will go into the tie on a high after registering the third win of their Qatar Stars League 2024-25 season with a 2-1 victory over Al Khor on Friday.They have, however, a poor record in home matches against teams from Saudi Arabia, having won only once in seven games, with their only win being a 2-1 victory against Al-Hilal in March 2018.Al Ahli Saudi FC are just one of two teams still with a perfect record in the West zone of the AFC Champions League Elite 2024/25 and cruised to a 3-0 win over Al Khaleej in a Saudi Pro League tie on Friday.A win against Al Rayyan on Monday will only be their second in away matches against Qatari teams in the AFC Champions League (W1 D3 L5) and they have not kept a clean sheet in any of these games, conceding 15 goals.The best eight clubs from each group (of 12 teams) will qualify for Round of 16, ahead of the knockouts, starting from the quarter-finals in Saudi Arabia from April 25 to May 4, 2025.

Liverpool passed their biggest test of the season so far as Curtis Jones struck the winner in a 2-1 home victory over Chelsea to keep them top of the Premier League yesterday.The 23-year-old’s first goal since January proved the difference in a tight battle as Liverpool won for the 10th time in 11 matches in all competitions under new boss Arne Slot.Mohamed Salah’s 29th-minute penalty put the hosts in front against the run of play but Chelsea levelled after the break as Nicolas Jackson was played through to score. Chelsea were not level for long though as midfielder Jones got on the end of Salah’s low cross to beat visiting keeper Robert Sanchez from close range.It was never comfortable for Liverpool against a Chelsea side who came close to an equaliser several times in a strong finish and ended up with more attempts at goal. But Slot’s side dug deep to pass their sternest test in the Premier League so far this season.They have 21 points from eight games, one more than second-placed Manchester City who beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 earlier. Chelsea stayed in sixth place with 14 points.“Many other games were hard but this might have been the hardest because of the amount of quality players they have and the structure they have,” Slot, whose side have conceded only three league goals, said.“We had to fight really hard to get this one over the line.”Liverpool’s transition to a new era under Juergen Klopp’s successor Slot has apparently been seamless but a visit from Enzo Maresca’s buoyant Chelsea side was the first in a devilish run of fixtures that continues at Arsenal next weekend.They were under the cosh for long periods and Chelsea will feel aggrieved not to have taken a point back to London although Slot argued that Chelsea could have been down to 10 men in the opening minutes when a charging Diogo Jota was dragged down on the halfway line by Tosin Adarabioyo.Maresca’s side showed their intent from the start with some ambitious football and Jones did superbly to charge down Cole Palmer’s shot when he looked favourite to score.But Liverpool took the lead when Jones was tripped in the area by Levi Colwill and Salah smashed away the penalty.Liverpool were awarded another penalty on the stroke of halftime after Sanchez clumsily took down Jones although a VAR check showed the keeper had made slight contact with the ball before clattering Jones and referee John Brooks changed his mind.Palmer shot over for Chelsea in first-half stoppage time but the visitors were rewarded three minutes after the break when Moises Caicedo’s pass sent Jackson away and he slotted the ball past Caoimhin Kelleher only to be flagged offside.Again VAR intervened to Chelsea’s benefit with Ibrahima Konate’s outstretched leg shown to have played Jackson onside.Chelsea were guilty of switching off though as three minutes later the outstanding Jones restored Liverpool’s lead.Liverpool had to withstand seven minutes of Chelsea pressure in stoppage time in which Christopher Nkunku was agonisingly close to equalising as he stretched to reach Pedro Neto’s pass.“We controlled most of the game. We had chances, we had possession,” Maresca said after his side’s first league defeat since the opening day of the season.“We don’t like to lose, but if we have to choose this is the way. The team was brave on and off the ball.”Meanwhile Manchester City defender John Stones headed a controversial stoppage-time winner in a 2-1 victory at Wolverhampton Wanderers yesterday that took them top of the Premier League and set a club record of 31 league games unbeaten.Champions City dominated possession from start to finish at Molineux, but were shocked in the seventh minute when a perfect cross from Nelson Semedo was met with a composed close-range finish by Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen.Semedo missed a glorious chance to put Wolves further ahead in a one-on-one that Ederson saved, before City defender Josko Gvardiol picked up the ball in space and curled a beautiful shot past Jose Sa for a deserved 33rd-minute equaliser.Stones’s late goal from a corner went to a Video Assistant Refereee (VAR) check for a possible offside by Bernardo Silva in front of the goalkeeper, but it was allowed, to the delight of their manager Pep Guardiola and travelling fans.“I’m really pleased to win in that fashion and get on the scoresheet again,” said Stones, who also scored a late equaliser against Arsenal last month.“It was a tough game. I’ve got to give credit to Wolves, how they stopped us creating chances, made it difficult for us in the final third,” he added.City moved top of the league on goal difference with 20 points, two above Liverpool who face Chelsea later on Sunday and could retake top spot with a win.Bottom on one point and without a win this season, Wolves are staring at a battle against relegation unless they can start picking up wins.Their manager Gary O’Neil was furious at the end of the game, after his team had defended valiantly against City who enjoyed three quarters of possession.Referee Chris Kavanagh initially disallowed Stones’ goal, believing Silva had blocked goalkeeper Sa’s line of vision, but VAR deemed that was not the case.When Kavanagh saw footage at the side of the pitch, he overturned the decision, bringing boos ringing round the ground from the home fans.

Paris Saint-Germain went back on top of the Ligue 1 table on Saturday as a 4-2 victory at home to Strasbourg saw them climb above Monaco on goal difference.Youngster Senny Mayulu’s first Ligue 1 goal set PSG on their way before Marco Asensio, Bradley Barcola and Lee Kang-in also found the net in the rain at the Parc des Princes. Sekou Mara and Pape Diong were on target for Liam Rosenior’s Strasbourg, but the defeat means the side from Alsace have still never won away to PSG in 34 attempts.Monaco’s 0-0 draw at home to Lille on Friday had given PSG the opportunity to go back to the summit and they seized the chance despite coach Luis Enrique rotating his squad with an eye on Tuesday’s Champions League clash with PSV Eindhoven.“I think it is the same for all coaches who lose players during international breaks,” said Luis Enrique, whose team also go to Marseille next weekend in French football’s biggest fixture.“The first game back is always especially complicated but we fulfilled our objectives, which were to get three points against very difficult opponents, and to conserve players so they could recover from games with their national teams and their journeys.”Ousmane Dembele, Achraf Hakimi, Fabian Ruiz and captain Marquinhos were among the players left on the bench with Mayulu one of five players aged 20 or under in PSG’s starting XI.The 18-year-old hit the post before he opened the scoring on 18 minutes after a one-two with Barcola, and Mayulu then missed a great chance to add another before half-time, blazing over when clean through.“Senny is a player who last year could have left but chose to stay. He is a player with lots of quality and has the ability to score goals,” said Luis Enrique.“Today he scored one but could have scored three. He is one for the future of the club.”Asensio bundled in PSG’s second goal just after the restart, following in to score after Desire Doue’s shot had been saved, but Mara pulled one back with his first goal since joining Strasbourg from Southampton.PSG had a penalty awarded for a foul on Barcola overturned by the referee following a VAR review, but France winger Barcola then prodded in his team’s third goal, and a seventh of the season for the division’s top scorer.A Saidou Sow own goal that would have made it 4-1 was disallowed for offside but South Korean star Lee swept in a Joao Neves assist for PSG’s fourth late on, before Diong made the final score 4-2 from close range.It was just a second defeat so far this season for Strasbourg, who are owned by the same BlueCo consortium which controls Chelsea.“I feel we lost in the right way, if there is such a thing,” said Englishman Rosenior, who said the defeat was entirely down to the quality of the opposition.“It was 100 percent the quality of Paris, one of the best teams in Europe,” insisted the Englishman.“I think Paris are building something very special here and I am very proud of my players for playing in a style that I don’t think anyone has tried.“You have to be prepared to lose big in order to win big.”Earlier, Brest warmed up for their Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen by drawing 1-1 with Rennes in a Brittany derby, while Lens won 2-0 at Saint-Etienne to maintain their unbeaten record this season.Marseille go to Montpellier on Sunday, when other matches include Lyon at Le Havre and high-flying Reims at Auxerre.

An outstanding all-round performance by Amelia Kerr led New Zealand to their first ever Women’s T20 World Cup title as they beat South Africa by a commanding 32 runs in yesterday’s final in Dubai.Player of the Match Kerr top-scored with 43 as New Zealand posted an imposing 158-5 in their 20 overs before taking 3-24, and crucially picking up the key wickets of Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch, to restrict South Africa to 126-9 in their 20 overs.It marked a sweet finish to skipper Sophie Devine’s career.Devine said: “I started to dream last night about what it feels to hold the trophy with this team, didn’t want to get to ahead of us. This group, Suze and Lea and for New Zealand cricket, it has been a long time.”She added: “The great thing about this group is we know what we have been trying to achieve in the last 15, 18, 24 months. We kept taking steps in right directions, you want momentum and we came to the World Cup on the back of 10 successive losses. But everyone starts on zero. Speaks to the volume of who Suze is as a player. Most capped player in history of women’s game, to think she can go out and play with such aggression and fearlessness. To have her in the side, it is just special, to lift it for her.”The victory came 14 years after the White Ferns lost to Australia by just three runs in the 2010 final. They also lost to England in the 2009 championship match.For South Africa it made for a double disappointment having lost last year’s final to Australia in Cape Town.After being put in to bat by South Africa captain Wolvaardt, the New Zealand openers began aggressively with Georgia Plimmer smashing two fours in the first over from Marizanne Kapp.Plimmer fell for nine but Suzie Bates, playing in her 334th international, kept the scoreboard ticking over until she was bowled by Nonkululeko Mlaba for 32 from 31 balls.When Devine was leg before to Nadine de Klerk on review, the innings appeared to be faltering but the arrival of Brooke Halliday lifted the tempo as she added 57 in seven overs with Kerr for the fourth wicket.Halliday hit three boundaries in her 38 but was dismissed when she picked out Bosch on the midwicket boundary.Kerr slammed back-to-back boundaries off Mlaba before finding Tazmin Brits to fall for 43 from 38 balls.Maddy Green, however, maintained the momentum with 12 off six balls including the only six of the innings.Wolvaardt (33) and Brits (17) got South Africa off to a roaring start bringing up the 50 in the seventh over before Brits attempted to hit Fran Jonas over long-on only to find the safe hands of Green lying in wait.With Bosch struggling to get going, Wolvaardt showed her frustration by lashing the first ball of Kerr’s second over to Bates at wide mid-off.When a review concluded that Bosch had edged the last ball of the over to Isabella Gaze, South Africa had slumped to 64-3 and New Zealand were in command.With the required run rate rising, South Africa’s middle and lower order, who have barely batted in this tournament, struggled to get going with wickets tumbling at regular intervals.Kerr took a catch to remove Nadine de Klerk and then claimed a third wicket when Bates, arguably the outstanding fielder at the tournament, took her third catch of the innings to remove Annerie Dercksen. She finished with a tournament-leading 15 wickets.The last pair held out for the final over but could not prevent New Zealand from celebrating their first title.BRIEF SCORESToss New Zealand 158 for 5 (Kerr 43, Halliday 38, Bates 32, Mlaba 2-31) beat South Africa 126 for 9 (Wolvaardt 33, Mair 3-25, Kerr 3-24) by 32 runs

New Zealand sealed their first test win in India since 1988 after chasing down a tricky target in hostile conditions to overcome the hosts by eight wickets on the final day of the first Test yesterday.After dismissing India for their lowest home total of 46 and making 402 in reply, New Zealand bowled out Rohit Sharma’s side for 462 in the second innings to lay the platform for a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.Will Young (48 not out) and Rachin Ravindra (39 not out) remained calm in the pressure storm after the loss of two early wickets to help New Zealand score the 107 needed, earning their team only a third win on Indian soil in 69 years.That New Zealand achieved the famous result in the absence of injured batting mainstay Kane Williamson was credit to their belief, as they became only the third team after England and Australia to beat India at home since 2013.Pace bowlers Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke claimed a combined 15 wickets in the match.“It was extremely difficult,” said new captain Tom Latham, who took the role permanently after Tim Southee stepped down following their 2-0 defeat in Sri Lanka last month.“There have been a lot of teams that have come here over a long period of time. It was 36 years ago that we last won here so it’s a really special feeling to be in this position.“The work we did in the first and second innings with the ball and bat really set the game up for us. It’s a proud moment for this group and one we’ll celebrate.”New Zealand got off to a bad start when play began after a rain delay when Latham fell lbw to Jasprit Bumrah to the second ball of the day for a duck.Bumrah and fellow pace bowler Mohammed Siraj made life difficult for the New Zealand batsmen, as India looked to do what no team have done in test history and win a match after conceding a first-innings lead of more than 350 runs.Devon Conway endured painful body blows, balls that whizzed past the blade and unfriendly glares from the bowlers amid jeers from partisan fans at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium before falling lbw to Bumrah for 17.The wicket appeared to turn placid after the arrival of first-innings centurion Ravindra, and the Wellington-born left-hander with roots in Bengaluru superbly steered New Zealand out of rough waters before Young hit the winning runs.Rohit rued India’s batting effort in the first innings but took the positives from their second, where Sarfaraz Khan made 150 and Rishabh Pant hit 99 to give them a fighting chance to avoid only a fifth home loss in 11 years.“It was brilliant”“It was brilliant, especially being behind in the game. It’s easy to let the game drift away but that’s not what this team is about. This team wants to fight back, stay in the game as long as possible and not give in to the opposition,” Rohit said. “I thought except the first couple of hours, three hours (on day one), we played very good Test cricket.”The series, which also features matches in Pune and Mumbai, is part of the World Test Championship.India arrived in Bengaluru seeking a big win over the 2021 champions to improve their chances of making a third successive final in June 2025, but will now need to battle to keep alive their run of 18 straight home series victories since 2012.BRIEF SCORES (Day 5)New Zealand 402 (Ravindra 134, Conway 91, Jadeja 3-72) and 110 for 2 (Young 48*, Ravindra 39*, Bumrah 2-29) beat India 46 (Pant 20, Henry 5-15, O’Rourke 4-22) and 462 (Sarfaraz 150, Pant 99, O’Rourke 3-92) by eight wickets

Six-times MotoGP champion Marc Marquez put on a master class to win the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix ahead of world championship leader Jorge Martin at Phillip Island yesterday.Polesitter and sprint winner Martin of Prima Pramac Racing rocketed off the line while fellow Spaniard Marquez endured yet another disastrous launch, falling rapidly down the order before ruthlessly finding his way back to seal his third win of the season.Marquez qualified second on the grid, but dropped outside the top-10 at the start when his own tear-off got stuck under his rear tyre. He had also recovered from a poor start to come second in the sprint on Saturday.The 31-year-old, third in the championship standings, has now won the Australian MotoGP four times in the premier class.“It was always something happening, but I’ve never pulled the tear-off in the start before,” Marquez said. “This time when I was putting the front device on, I saw something was super big here and I didn’t have a chance so I took it off ... and when I released the clutch I began to spin.“I don’t know where I was in the first corner but I overtook many riders and I thought that one time was impossible to catch Martin. Then in lap five or six I started to get the rhythm and it was more calm, it was a bit stressful but I’m super happy...“It’s true that Martin pushed through all the race and I was saving the tyre to have the last lap.”While Martin led most of the 27-lap race, he and Marquez swapped places in the final moments before Marquez came out on top. Martin’s second-place finish extended his lead over twice MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia at the top of the world championship by 20 points.Having qualified fifth, Bagnaia came third to complete an all-Ducati podium. With three races left in the campaign, Bagnaia, who struggled to match Marquez and Martin’s pace all weekend, will set his sights on next week’s Thailand Grand Prix.“It was a difficult race for sure,” Martin said. “I had a strong pace but the feeling wasn’t the same as yesterday, the wind was really strong so I started to lose the front...”Italian duo Fabio Di Giannantonio and Enea Bastianini were the other two riders in the top-five in Australia.Red Bull GasGas Tech3’s 20-year-old rookie Pedro Acosta missed the race after suffering a crash in the sprint.

Six-time Olympic cycling champion Chris Hoy revealed that he has terminal cancer and has been told by doctors he has “two to four years” to live.The 48-year-old former track racer announced in February that he had been diagnosed with the disease and was undergoing chemotherapy but insisted the treatment was “going really well”.However, the Scottish sporting legend has now told The Sunday Times that he knew at the time his illness was terminal.When asking doctors how long he had left, he said he was told: “Two to four years”.“We were all born and we all die, and this is just part of the process,” Hoy told The Sunday Times. “You remind yourself, aren’t I lucky that there is medicine I can take that will fend this off for as long as possible. But most of the battle for me with cancer hasn’t been physical. For me, it has been in my head.”Hoy explained he had initially shrugged off pain in his shoulder as an injury caused by exertions in the gym.When he was referred for a scan, he was told by a doctor: “I’m really sorry. There’s a tumour in your shoulder.”Another scan revealed primary cancer in his prostate which metastasised to his shoulder, pelvis, hip, spine and ribs.“And just like that,” said Hoy. “I learn how I will die.”In a double blow, Hoy also revealed that his wife Sarra has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.“It’s the closest I’ve come to, like, you know, why me? Just, what? What’s going on here? It didn’t seem real. It was such a huge blow, when you’re already reeling. You think nothing could possibly get worse. You literally feel like you’re at rock bottom, and you find out, oh no, you’ve got further to fall. It was brutal.”British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was among those to offer their support to Hoy.“Such sad news. Chris is a British sporting legend. To face his diagnosis with such positivity is inspiring. The whole country is behind him and his family,” Starmer posted on X.Fellow cycling titan Mark Cavendish described Hoy as a “hero of a human being”, while former Scotland striker turned commentator Ally McCoist said: “You, my friend are a superstar in every sense of the word.”Olympic athletics champion Kelly Holmes and Britain’s most successful Paralympian Sarah Storey also replied to his post with messages of support.Olympic rowing champion Matthew Pinsent said his thoughts were with Hoy and his family, describing him as “one of the finest to ever represent our country”.Scottish First Minister John Swinney praised Hoy’s “incredible courage”. “I send every good wish to Sir Chris Hoy and his family,” he said. “He has always inspired us by all that he has done. He is a person of incredible courage and that shines through today.”Edinburgh-born Hoy took up track cycling as a teenager and won his first Olympic medal, a team sprint silver, at the 2000 Games in Sydney. Four years later, he became an Olympic champion by winning the one kilometre time-trial in Athens. He increased his Olympic medal haul with three more golds at the 2008 Games in Beijing and another two at London 2012.Hoy also won 11 world titles before retiring from competitive cycling in 2013.“As unnatural as it feels, this is nature,” Hoy, a father of two, added in his interview with The Sunday Times. “A lot of deaths are sudden, leaving no chance to say goodbyes or make peace with everything. But I’ve been given enough time.”

Nasser al-Attiyah on Sunday claimed his ninth career victory at the Cyprus Rally organised by the Cyprus Automobile Association, with Italian co-driver Giovanni Bernacchini and driving a Skoda Fabia R5.The driver from Qatar took the lead one special stage before the finish due to the retirement of Simos Galatariotis-Antonis Ioannou, who had been leading the race since the second special stage.Ultimately, their aging Volkswagen Polo GTi gave out with a steering system issue (link arm broken) one stage before the end, in a repeat of last year's scenario where the crew had been leading but retired, clearing the way for al-Attiyah to win.The top Cypriot crew, Panagiotis Yiangou-Aristos Nicolaou, finished in second place with a Hyundai i20 R5, ahead of the brothers Abdulaziz and Nasser al-Kuwari from Qatar, who finished third with a Skoda Fabia R5 and were crowned FIA Middle East Rally Champions for the first time. The Ceremonial Finish and awards ceremony took place at Makariou Avenue, in the heart of Nicosia.Al-Attiyah and Galatariotis had a fierce battle, with the Cypriot leading by 49.9 seconds after the first loop on Saturday. The gap was reduced to 38 seconds in the afternoon, to 6.9 seconds by Sunday midday, and finally to 1.5 seconds two special stages before the finish, as Nasser was going flat out — winning all of Sunday's stages and half of Saturday's (three).Al-Attiyah won the Cyprus Rally for the first time with a Skoda Fabia — it was only his second rally with his new car — having previously secured three wins with a Volkswagen Polo and five with a Ford Fiesta. For Bernacchini, this marks his fourth victory and his first since 2014, as al-Attiyah had won the Cyprus Rally five times in the interim with Mathieu Baumel as his co-driver.Panagiotis Yiangou-Aristos Nicolaou had a great battle with Petros Panteli-Pampos Laos (Renault Clio), who were forced to change a tyre in the second stage Sunday, losing three minutes and their spot on the podium. They ultimately finished fourth, one position higher than last year, having delivered a strong performance with six Top 3 finishes in the special stages. Yiangou-Nicolaou moved into the lead of the Cyprus National Championship with two races remaining, as each day of the Cyprus Rally counted as a separate championship event with a coefficient of "1.5." Yiangou also finished second in 2020.45-year-old Abdulaziz al-Kuwari from Qatar ended Nasser al-Attiyah's streak of 13 consecutive championships, with al-Attiyah having a total of 19 titles. The al-Kuwari brothers settled for third place, which secured them the necessary points for the championship title. This was Abdulaziz's seventh participation in the Cyprus Rally, and it is certainly one he will never forget.Al-Muhannadi-al-Hmoud finished fifth with another Skoda Fabia R5 in the colors of Qatar, also prepared by the Latvian SRT team.In the MERC 2 category, Nestoros-Kallis took first place with a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X, finishing sixth overall, followed by Christodoulou/Andreou with a Subaru Impreza.Shaker Jweihan from Jordan and Carlos Hanna from Lebanon were crowned Middle East champions in the MERC 2 category without competing in Cyprus Rally. They were started on Friday but the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX they rented—since their own Evo X remained in Lebanon—faced issues before the first special stage, forcing them to retire. The crew had hopes of even winning the championship, as they were ahead of al-Attiyah and behind al-Kuwari.Middle East MERC 4 champions were crowned as El-Fakih-Fier from Lebanon, who finished 10th driving a Peugeot 208. The 2WD category in the Cyprus Rally was won by Manoli-Evripidou, who finished 8th overall, leaving the Lebanese crew in second place. Akis Ellinas-George Pougioukkas finished in 9th place with Ford Fi.A total of 20 crews started the race on Friday (18/10). On Saturday (19/10), five crews retired, only two of which re-started on Sunday under SupeRally rules and 14 came back to Nicosia on Sunday afternoon.

The Qatari beach volleyball team has secured a spot in the final of the prestigious World Elite Championship /Joao Pessoa Tour Elite16/ after a commanding 2-0 victory over Argentina in the semi-finals held today in Brazil.The Qatari duo, Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, delivered an impressive performance, showcasing their skills and determination throughout the match, paving their way to the championship final. They are now set to face the winner of the Norway-Sweden clash, with the final scheduled to take place later Sunday.Earlier in the day, Qatar also claimed a decisive 2-0 win against Brazil in the quarter-finals, solidifying their dominance in the tournament. Their journey to the quarter-finals was secured by topping Group D with five points, having won two matches and lost one.The team's participation in the World Elite Championship follows a strong showing at the Arab Championship in Tunisia, where they earned a third-place finish. Prior to that, they represented Qatar at the beach volleyball competition during the Summer Olympics /Paris 2024/, achieving a commendable fourth-place standing.

Michael Olunga’s 42nd minute diving header gave Al Duhail a 1-0 victory over Al Ahli and extended their lead at the top of Qatar Stars League at the Al Thumama Stadium on Saturday. The Red Knights bounced back from their surprise loss to Al Shahania in the previous round, as they opened up a four-point lead over Ahli and six points gap over arch rivals and defending champions Al Sadd.Duhail’s goalkeeper Salah Zakaria was forced to make some fantastic saves in the early minutes, prominent among which was his seventh minute parrying of Oumar Sekou’s thunderbolt of a shot from the centre of the box.Ten minutes into the game, the Olunga missed what should have been the opening goal with his header from the right side of the box going narrowly wide.Duhail’s Frenchman Benjamin Bourigeaud forced a corner kick after stunning the palms of goalkeeper Marwan Badreldin with fierce shot in the 38th minute, but the eventual deadball situation did not produce the desired result.While it seemed the match was heading towards a goalless half-time, Olunga’s produced a brilliant diving header in the 42nd minute from a cross by Edmilson Junior to put Duhail ahead.A stunned Ahli put in desperate efforts to restore parity before halftime, but their attempts notwithstanding, Duhail took their lead into the break. Al Duhail came out of the dugout virtually on fire, and they could have added to their tally within five minutes of the second half if not for some poor finishing upfront.The Brigadiers missed a chance of levelling up in the 65th minute, with Idrissa Doumbin’s final touch going narrowly wide after Sekou had brilliantly done most of the legwork in Duhail’s final third.Despite Ahli’s attempt at getting the desperately needed equaliser, Duhail remained unyielding as they maintained their sole lead till the last kick of the thrilling match.Earlier, Qatar SC scored a goal in each half to stun 10-man Al Wakrah 2-1 at the Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium. Eisa Palangi (41st minute), and Khaled Mahmoudi (87th minute) scored for Qatar SC while Ricardo Gomes got Al Wakrah’s only goal in the 24th minute.Al Wakrah’s Almahdi Ali Mukhtar was shown the red card in the 25th minute after he dangerously tackled Qatar SC’s Ahmed Mohamed Radwan from behind when the latter was running away with the ball down the left.Wakrah slip from third to fifth with 11 points, while Qatar SC’s second win of the campaign took them out of relegation zone and into 10th place with seven points.The first big action of the match came when Wakrah’s Abdelkarim Hassan made a high kick from the left for the ball to find Gomes, who stationed himself perfectly on right in front of the goal, to make a perfect header and provide his team the lead.The very next minute, however, Wakrah suffered a jolt with Mukhtar receiving the marching orders. Fifteen minutes later, Qatar SC got the equaliser in equally spectacular style as Palangi grabbed a clearance long ball about 25 yards away left of the box to first make a run-in and strike a powerful kick which with its force beat Al Wakrah goalkeeper Mohammed Albakri in the right corner.With the two sides locked 1-1, the second half saw more exciting action as first a Ben Malango header found the crossbar and later in the 68th minute the Wakrah goalkeeper made a good save. In the 84th minute Albakri again stopped a good kick from Gomes, and three minutes later the custodian held off a curling kick from Carlos Vinicius.Qatar SC’s persistent efforts eventually paid off as Mahmoudi headed-in a fine corner kick from the right and the ball bounced before through the goalkeeper’s legs after he was unsighted by substitute Sebastian Soria, who was trying to get his foot to the ball.There was more action in stoppage time as Carlos Vinicius cut off a defence cross to run in and make a strike but the ball found the bottom of the left goal post.In the other match of the day, Baghdad Bounedjah scored a hat-trick as Al Shamal thrashed Al Arabi 5-2 at the Al Khor Stadium. Bounedjah scored in the 1st, 2nd +45 and 82nd minutes, while Mohamed Omar added a brace with strikes in the 20th and 31st minutes. Alaa Aldeen and Yazan al-Naimat scored for Al Arabi in the 7th and 16th minutes respectively.Shamal regained its winning streak, moving up to sixth place with 10 points, while Al Arabi suffered its second loss and are ninth with seven points.