Al Sadd registered a 4-2 win over Al Shahania in their QNB Stars League Round 13 clash at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium yesterday. The result sees reigning champions Sadd remain in third place in the league standings with 27 points.
Ahmed Akaichi gave Shahania the lead early on, sending in a powerful shot from the edge of the box in the fourth minute. Sadd’s reply came in the ninth minute, as Hassan al-Haydous connected with Akram Afif’s aerial ball into the box, to convert past the Shahania keeper and equalise.
That first half ended with the teams locked at 1-1, but Sadd went ahead three minutes into the second half. Ali Asad did well to dribble into the box before attempting a cross, which deflected off defender Saleh al-Yahri and looped over the keeper and into the goal.
Afif then made it 3-1 to Sadd in the 57th minute from a penalty, which was awarded for Alvaro Mejia’s handball in the box. Shahania then pulled a goal back in the 65th minute, with Akaichi striking again in a similar manner to his first effort.
Sadd added a fourth goal deep into stoppage time, with Baghdad Bounedjah dispatching a spot-kick, which had been awarded for a foul on Afif in the box.
Sadd coach Xavi Hernandez expressed his happiness after the win. “It match was a very difficult match. Yes, we made many defensive mistakes, due to which we received an early goal. But I am very happy with my players’ reaction, their performance and the result,” the Spaniard said.

Al-Mawas strike gives
Umm Salal victory
Meanwhile in another match yesterday, Umm Salal edged past Al Khor at the Al Gharafa Stadium. Syrian striker Mahmoud al-Mawas scored the only goal for The Orange Fortress in the sixth minute. Umm Salal moved on to eight points with only their second victory, whereas Al Khor remained on nine points with their eighth defeat.
The victory was a great relief for Umm Salal, who stayed at the rock bottom of the QNB Stars League. It was also a sweet revenge for Umm Salal, who had lost by a similar margin to Al Khor in the first leg, in Week 2 of the QNB Stars League. Umm Salal had lost 0-4 to Al Rayyan in Week 12 before the QNB Stars League took a break.
Even a change at the helm, Moroccan Aziz Ben Askar replacing Spaniard Raul Caneda, could not help Umm Salal make a turnaround in their fortunes.
There was great anticipation prior to the match as both teams went head-to-head for vital points. A thoroughly-entertaining encounter started in dramatic fashion when Umm Salal’s Walid Mesloub’s corner nearly found its way into the goal by a dramatically scorpion-kick finish by Al Mawas.
Al Khor had defeated Al Sailiya 2-1 in Week 12, but they went down 1-2 to reigning champions Al Sadd last Tuesday in a QNB Stars League match deferred from Week 7 due to The Wolves’ AFC Champions League commitment. Thus, The Knights’ woes continued as they are in the danger zone alongside Al Shahania and Umm Salal.
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