Al
Sadd beat Al Rayyan 4-0 in the Qatar Clasico to extend their lead to
four points in the QNB Stars League yesterday. Earlier reigning
champions Al Duhail dropped two points after being held to a goalless by
draw by Al Gharafa.
Al Sadd had won the Qatar Clasico against Al
Rayyan in the first leg by a 5-0 margin. Baghdad Bounedjah (33rd
minute), Abdelkarim Hassan (35th), Akram Afif (62nd-min penalty and 72nd
minute) scored the goals as Al Sadd moved to 44 points, four ahead of
Al Duhail and 14 more than Al Rayyan.
It was Al Sadd’s 14th victory
in the 2018-19 season QNB Stars League, the most by any team, while Al
Rayyan suffered their third defeat. The 76th-minute red card to striker
Sebastian Soria, for second booking, made matters worse for Al Rayyan.
Al
Sadd’s Gabi Fernandez too was sent off in the 82nd minute for fouling
Khalfan Ibrahim in the ‘D’. In front of a large crowd at the Al Sadd
Stadium, which wore a festive look for the big date in Qatar football
with Fan Zone among other activities, the hosts meant business
throughout.
Al Sadd took the lead through tournament top scorer
Bounedjah who slotted home the rebound from Fahad Younis who blocked
Gabi’s shot. The lead was doubled two minutes later through Abdelkarim
who headed in a corner kick taken by Akram as The Wolves took the
half-time break with a two-goal cushion. Captain Hassan al-Haydos had a
shot hit against the crossbar in the 19th minute. At the other end, Al
Rayyan’s Lucca Borges’ shot was blocked by Al Sadd goalkeeper Saad
al-Dossari a couple of minutes later.
After one hour, Al Sadd made it
3-0 when Akram converted from the spot after referee Khamis al-Kuwari
awarded a penalty, awarded for Koh Myong-Jin pulling down Pedro who
chased a free-kick taken by Akram. Akram rounded off the tally with his
second goal of the night following a Bounedjah assist.
Earlier, Al
Gharafa and Al Duhail played out an entertaining goalless draw. However,
the result dented a blow to Al Duhail’s bid to retain the title as they
suffered their fourth draw to lag behind leaders Al Sadd. Al Duhail
moved to 40 points and Al Gharafa 19.
Al Gharafa started off briskly
and earned a corner kick soon after the start, only to see Ahmed
Alaaeldin head the ball straight to goalkeeper Amine Lecomte off a kick
taken by Abdulaziz Hatem. However, it was Al Duhail who had more chances
and ball possession once they settled down. While captain Karim Boudiaf
sent a wayward shot, new Japanese recruit Shoya Nakajima and team’s top
scorer Yousef El Arabi came close to scoring with their attempts.
Qatar’s Asian Cup triumph fame Bassam al-Rawi almost put Al Duhail in
the lead when he sent a free-kick slightly over the bar as the first
half drew to a close. Al Gharafa were more in the game in the second
half and Alaaeldin tested Lecomte with a powerful, rising shot from top
of the box around the hour mark.
Al Duhail, in their bid to intensify
the attack, brought in Ali Afif in place of Luis Martin and then Paolo
Edmilson replaced striker Mohamed Muntari. The move looked fruitful as
Edmilson found the net in the 70th minute off a counter-attack, but
referee Abdulhadi al-Ruaile ruled the goal offside after referring to
Video Assistant Referee. Ali Afif came up with a feeble shot and
Edmilson beat goalkeeper Yousef Hassan, who had a good game, in the 86th
minute, but Al Gharafa defender Ilyas Ahmed saved the ball at the
goalline.
Al Duhail’s new signing and Moroccan defender Mehdi
Benatia then headed the ball straight to the goalkeeper off a corner
kick in the 90th minute as the stalemate continued at the Al Gharafa
Stadium.
Edmilson was more enterprising as Nakajima and El Arabi both
had a subdued game. The result was a big consolation for Al Gharafa,
who had lost to Umm Salal in the previous round.
Al Sadd’s Abdelkarim Hassan celebrates with teammates after scoring against Al Rayyan in the QNB Stars League yesterday. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil