Big guns Duhail and Sadd open campaign with wins

Reigning champions Al Duhail opened their new-season campaign with a 2-1 win over Al Ahli, while their arch-rivals Al Sadd comfortably beat Umm Salal 3-1 in the Expo Stars League on Friday.At the Al Thumama Stadium, Kenyan forward Michael Olunga scored the opener in the 21st minute and French midfielder Ibrahima Diallo headed in the second in the 48th minute.Al Ahli hit back through Eslam Yassein early in the second session (53rd minute) as he essayed a powerful left-foot kick from about 30 yards, which hit the left top of the crossbar before the ball bounced in.It was also a strong indication of Al Ahli’s resolve, but they could not breach the strong Al Duhail defence thereafter despite several repeated attempts and some quite close ones. Midway through the second half, Al Ahli’s Ahmad Yasser Sebai did make an attempt from outside the box, but it was saved in the bottom right corner by Al Duhail goalkeeper Salah Zakaria.While The Red Knights custodian proved his worth, his Al Ahli counterpart Yazan Naim had more to do and, despite his best efforts to keep away challenging Al Duhail raids, he was beaten twice. He was tested early in the match by Al Duhail’s young player Suhaib Gannan, who first fired a kick off a good pass from Olunga and later hit from a close but difficult angle, but Yazan was well-placed.In the 31st minute, Al Ahli survived a close call when a robust Gannan kick went on to hit the crossbar, but flew over. In the 44th minute, Al Ahli goalkeeper Yazan was again all acrobatic as he first averted an Olunga shot and immediately flipped over to the left to save another threatening strike.In added time, Al Ahli substitute Naim Sliti picked up on an Abubakr Bouyami assist to strike from outside the box, but his shot was well-blocked. In the end, Al Duhail and their delighted coach Hernan Crespo were left to savour Olunga’s close range left-footed opening goal and Diallo’s fine header into the left corner of the net.Earlier, Al Sadd made a telling start to their campaign as they beat Umm Salal 3-1 at the Al Bayt Stadium. Al Sadd’s mercurial striker Akram Afif was instrumental in scoring the first and assisting in the third goal. Guilherme Torres and Yusuf Abdurisag scored a goal apiece.Umm Salal finally fetched a consolation goal late in the 86th minute as their French striker Andy Delort latched on to a defensive lapse outside the box to send in the ball over goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham. It was too little too late though for Umm Salal.Earlier, Afif provided Al Sadd the forceful start making the most of Abdurisag’s pass inside the box to beat an onrushing defender and a diving rival goalkeeper to his left – finding the far right corner.Umm Salal were at their best in the opening half and in the 21st minute almost had a wondrous successful strike but Moroccan Oussama Tannane’s left-footed lob from almost 35 yards curled in from high to hit the outside of the left post.Minutes later, Gonazalo Plata ran up to catch a long pass just near the right post and sent in an angular ball for an onrushing Torres to score Al Sadd’s second goal.Al Sadd had a great start to the second half as well as Afif and Abdurisag combined to succeed. Afif moved in from the left into the ‘D’ and passed the ball to Abdurisag who flicked with his left foot for the ball to go through a defender’s legs and past the outstretched hands of Umm Salal goalkeeper Sami Beldi.Al Sadd could have had another goal to their tally early in the first session but a wonderful Afif goal was disallowed as Abdurisag was ruled off-side. The strike had come after Gonzalo Plata made a left-footed shot from outside the box following a set piece.Umm Salal too were left ruing a miss when winger Kenji Gorre’s left foot kick just missed the right post at the top.