Al Sadd produced another dominant performance to further enhance their Qatar Stars League title credentials when they defeated Al Gharafa 3-0 yesterday. Substitute Hamza Sanhaji scored a brace while skipper Xavi Hernandez provided the opening goal as Sadd registered consecutive wins. This win also helped Sadd leapfrog Lekhwiya and top the table. Lekhwiya will now have to defeat Kharaitiyat today to regain the position.
Sadd had gone into this match on the back of a confidence-boosting 6-1 win over Muaither. But Gharafa too had defeated Al Shahaniya 3-0 in their previous encounter. Sadd has been having a great season so far. In fact, their loss to Lekhiwya three matches ago was their first this season. They bounced back emphatically in their next match but they had to continue their winning run if they had to challenge Lekhwiya for the title.
In the first half, Sadd attack seemed to lacked bite. But all of that changed in the second half. Just after minute after the restart, Xavi, who had recently signed a one-year contract extension, gave his team the deserved lead.
The game stood on the edge till Sanhaji, who had come on as a substitute in the 41st minute, increased Sadd’s advantage in the 68th minute. The two-goal advantage allowed Sadd to play more attacking and in the 88th minute, Sanhaji scored his second of the match.
With just eight matches to go, this win will help Sadd take the challenge to Lekhwiya. As for Gharafa, they are in fifth place in the standings and will have to figure out a way to play against a team with the attacking prowess of Sadd.

Ahli edge out Al Khor 1-0
Al Khor went head to head against Al Ahli in round eighteen of the QSL at the AL Khor stadium yesterday. Only a single goal separated the two sides as Yousef Adam’s men came out victorious thanks to a first half strike from Younes Ali, giving them their third straight win in the league.
In the second half, Jean Fernandez’s men upped the pressure and were trying to get a goal back. Madison had a chance to level the score in the fifty-third minute, however his powerful shot went just wide of the goal post.
Al Ahli held on to their slender advantage and added three points to their tally. The Brigadiers now have twenty-three points from eighteen games while Al Khor remains at nineteen points.

Umm Salal and El Jaish draw 1-1
Umm Salal and El Jaish walked away with a point each after their QSL clash at Qatar Sports Club Stadium as the out of form teams drew 1-1 in a heated match.
Both sides came into the game desperate for a morale boosting win to reignite the second half of their season after failing to win in their last two games in 2017. Umm Salal headed into the game boosted by the return of key strikers Yannick Sagbo and Mahmoud al-Mawas while Jaish were still struggling for players after suffering a raft of injuries and suspensions in recent weeks.
Umm Salal looked quite happy to play the counter attacking game, a tactic that paid off on the 36th minute when they found the back of the net thanks to Hilal Mohammed.
Both teams came out quickly in the second half but it was Jaish who struck first to draw the game at 1-1 following a controversial equaliser on the 61st minute. Umm Salal attempted to stop play after they thought Jaish’s Mohammed al-Yazidi fouled Abdel Alawiin in midfield with what looked like a nasty two-footed challenge. Despite Alawiin writhing around in pain, Jaish played on and Abdulgadir Ilyas  found himself on the end of a cross and able to poke it home from two yards out to make it 1-1.

Results: Al Khor 0 – 1 Al Ahli; Umm Salal 1 – 1 El Jaish; Al Sadd 3 – 0 Al Gharafa