Sadd face Sailiya, aim to get back to winning ways

Al Sadd will aim to get back to winning ways when they take on AlSailiya in the QNB Stars League today. The Wolves dropped points lastweek after being held to a draw by Al Markhiya and are now behindleaders Al Duhail (32 points) by four points. Al Sailiya are also coming off a draw against Al Arabi with thePeregrines’ gap with fifth-placed Umm Salal (19) reduced to just onepoint.Sadd are likely to miss the injured duo of ace striker Baghdad Bounedjahand midfielder Ahmed Sayyar. Bounedjah has been out of action eversince he injured his leg during the against Al Duhail that they lost2-4, while Sayyar pulled his back muscle during training ahead of theMarkhiya clash.However, they have the likes of Xavi Hernandez, Jugurtha Hamroun andHassan al-Haydous to do the trick. They had recently strengthened thesquad with goalkeeper Sami Subait and striker Ali Faridoun.Al Sadd coach Jesualdo Ferreira said: “The Al Sailiya match will not beeasy. It will be more difficult and I hope my players display a strongreaction after we were forced to play out a goalless draw with AlMarkhiya“Al Sailiya are a strong side with many top-quality players who arecapable of turning the tide of a match. So the games against them arealways tough, but we will seek to collect three points,”Meanwhile, Sailiya have not won a game since their 3-2 victory over AlGharafa in Week 8. Tunisian coach Sami Trabelsi is known for bringingthe best out of his players and he will rely on the experience andexpertise of playmaker Wagner Ribeiro, Valentin Lazar, their top scorerTemurkhuja Abdukholiqov and captain Majdi Siddique. Al Sadd had won 3-2when they met in the first phase.Al Rayyan vs Al KharaitiyatIn the another match, Al Rayyan will keen to extend their winningstreak, having made a strong start to the league’s second phase with a3-0 victory over Al Khor, and close the gap with Duhail. The Lions arethird on goal difference after being tied with Sadd on 28 points. They may not start Moroccan striker Abderrazzaq Hamdallah as coachMichael Laudrup does not want his injury to aggravate ahead of a hecticschedule, with the AFC Champions League engagements too coming theirway.However, they have a strong squad consisting mainly of Rodrigo Tabata,Sebastian Soria and Mohsine Moutaouali. Tunisian Ahmad al-Ajlani-coachedAl Kharaitiyat would look to put behind their 1-3 defeat to Umm Salaland garner some points as they stare at relegation.The Thunders are warming the 10th position with nine points. They havemanaged to register only two victories. Moroccan forward RachidTiberkanine leads their charge. Al Rayyan had won 3-1 in the firstphase.Umm Salal vs Al GharafaUmm Salal and Al Gharafa are on a high following their victory over AlKharaitiyat and Al Ahli respectively. Tunisian attacking midfielderOussama Darragi has suddenly become Umm Salal’s hero with his two-goaleffort on debut in Qatar. Egyptian coach Mahmoud Jaber’s confidence at the post-match Pressconference is justified as the injured trio of Ismael Mahmoud, AdelAlawi and Bazman Awad is set to return. However, Ivorian striker YannickSagbo may be missing in action as he is still nursing an injury.New recruits Dutch star Wesley Sneijder and Iranian Mehdi Taremi will bethe aces of Al Gharafa, ably led by midfield strongman Luis Jimenez.New coach Bulent Uygun will expect nothing less than three points in The Cheetahs’ quest for a top-four finish. They are now sixth with 14 points. The teams had played out a goalless draw in the first phase.