Yousef El Arabi played the demolition man to perfection with a four-goal blitz as Al Duhail thrashed Al Ahli 6-1 in the QNB Stars League yesterday.
The Moroccan striker, who along with Korean Nam Tae-hee was instrumental in Lekhwiya winning their fifth title last year, proved far too good for Al Ahli to contain, making a mockery of their defence at regular intervals and scoring at will.
He opened the account for Al Duhail in the 26th minute and added three more in the second half (54, 64-68) while Yousef Msakni 39 and Nam Tae-hee 90+1) scored once each to complete the formalities.
Christian Nazarit reduced the margin for Al Ahli in the 46th minute but that was little consolation for them languishing as they in the second-last spot with just one point from four matches.
Duhail’s emphatic win took them to 12 points from four matches and they now lead Al Sadd on goal difference, while Umm Salal are third with 10.
Meanwhile, Al Sadd also maintained their unbeaten run, easing past Qatar Sports Club 3-1.
Iranian pro Morteza Janpour put Al Sadd ahead in the 24th minute with a fine header from close following a great pass from Hassan al-Haydos on the left. The prolific Baghdad Bounedjah then made it 2-0 with a thundering 35-yard shot in the 62nd minute and al-Haydos made good of a Xavi pass in the 86th to put the result beyond doubt.
Mohamed Tayebi’s 60th minute goal for Qatar SC gave them something to cheer about.
Earlier, former champions Al Rayyan produced a slick performance to beat Al Markhiya 4-1.
Michael Laudrup’s boys picked up full points through goals from Abderrazzaq Hamdellah (second minute), Mahmoud Attiya (own goal, 26th), Rodrigo Tabata (71st) and Sebastian Soria (79th).
Striker Kwame Karikari reduced the deficit for Al Markhiya in the 80th minute.
With star striker Rodrigo Tabata, recuperating from a surgery, on the bench at the start of the game, Al Rayyan, coming off a 3-5 loss to Al Duhail in the previous round, wasted little time in scoring the opening goal. Hamdellah’s superbly-taken free-kick found the back of the net.
Al Rayyan then added a bit of bite into their attack, this time through Mohamed Ali, whose bullet was parried by goalkeeper Mohamed Khuroob.
Al Rayyan doubled the lead in the 26th minute when striker Soria, wearing the captain’s armband, tried to control an aerial cross inside the Al Markhiya box. In the process, the ball got knocked into the net by Attiya resulting in an own goal.
Tabata, who was brought in at the start of second half, underlined Al Rayyan’s domination by netting their third goal in the 71st minute after a cross from Hamdellah.
Eight minutes later, Tabata spotted Soria in the Al Markhiya box and the tall striker clipped the ball into the top corner to round off the Lions’ tally.
Al Markhiya’s consolation came in the form of Karikari, who tapped the ball into the Al Rayyan goal from close.

Results
Al Duhail 6 (Yousef El Arabi 26, 54, 64, pen, 68; Msakni 39, Nam Tae-hee 90+1) Al Ahli 1 ( Christian Nazarit 46)
Al Rayyan 4 (Hamdallah 2, Attia OG 26, Tabata 71, Soria 79) Al Markhiya 1 (K. Karikari 80)
Al Sadd 3 (Janpour 24, Bounedjah 62, al-Haydos 86) Qatar SC 1 (Tayebi 60)