Bottom-of-the-league Al Kharaitiyat secured a vital 1-0 victory against Umm Salal in the QNB Stars League at the Al Duhail Stadium Friday. Firmly rooted to the bottom of the table, Al Kharaitiyat gave themselves a lifeline with Valentin Lazar’s 17th-minute goal.
With early pressing by the home team, Al Kharaitiyat took the lead thanks again to the assistance of VAR. Ilias Hassani was brought down on the edge of the area by Abdulla Kamal and Valentin placed his penalty straight down the middle of the goal to open the scoring.
The Umm Salal response was inevitable and Lawrence Quaye nearly equalised when his header was parried by Ahmed Abonora. Yannick Sagbo later saw his free-kick drift marginally wide of the upright before Ismail Mardanli saw his last-gasp effort saved to mark a frustrating night for the home team.
Al Kharaitiyat, with their second victory, moved to six points, while Umm Salal stayed on 20 points. Al Kharaitiyat, who had beaten Al Gharafa in the first leg, are still facing the danger of getting relegated as 11th-placed Al Khor are now on 12 points following their 3-1 victory over Qatar SC in the day’s early kick-off.
Goals from Thiago Bezerra (40th minute), Wagner Dos Santos (52nd) and Musaab Abdulmajid (90+4) were enough to secure three points for Al Khor. Samuel Eto’o got the visitors’ consolation goal in the 70th minute.
An entertaining encounter saw an end-to-end display before Al Khor benefited from a VAR review late in the first half. Qatar SC’s Mohammed al-Jabri was, on review, adjudged to have handled a shot in the penalty area which left Thiago with the task of taking the penalty and he duly converted into the top right hand corner.
Early in the second half and Al Khor turned up the pressure a notch as they sought a second goal, and breathing space. Their efforts were rewarded when Thiago became provider as his cross from the right byline was met by Wagner Dos Santos at the back post who coolly volleyed home. Not long after, Al Khor had a goal disallowed after Thiago pushed Sandro Ferreira on his way to converting a cross.
Eto’o pulled one back for the visitors after Mohammed Buqshan conceded a penalty. The Cameroonian stepped up to calmly beat the keeper and bring his side back into the game.
Al Khor sealed the points deep into stoppage time on the counter when Wagner fed Thiago down the left and his squared pass was immaculately finished by substitute Musaab.
Umm Salal (in white) and Al Kharaitiyat players vie for the ball during the QNB Stars League match at the Al Duhail Stadium.
