Two goals on either side of the break fired Al Sadd to a 4-1 victory over Al Wakrah, even as Al Sailiya put up an impressive display handing holders Al Duhail their fourth defeat of the season.
At Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium, goals from Mohanad Ali (20th minute) and Serigne Mbodji (38th minute) powered Al Sailiya to their third win. Dudu’s stoppage time goal was too little too late to make amends as Al Duhail remained on 12 points.
Later yesterday at the same venue, Hassan al-Haydos (3rd minute), Abdelkarim Hassan (14th minute), Baghdad Bounedjah (71st minute) and Akram Afif (77th minute) scored for Al Sadd, who moved on to 22 points with their seventh victory and an unbeaten record, the only team to do so thus far in the tournament. Al Wakrah goal came in the 69th minute in the form of an own goal by Afif.
Across town at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Abdulaziz Hatem put Al Rayyan in front in the 19th minute against Al Arabi. However, a 35th minute strike by Abdulaziz Rashid al-Ansari levelled the matters, and eventually the teams had to share points, having played out a 1-1 draw.
Xavi Hernandez’s men were in attacking mode from the start and they cruised to an early lead, with al-Haydos finding the target with a placing shot off an assist from Abdelkarim.
The left-back then turned the taker of a goal with a long shot, with Santi Cazorla setting him up.
The Wolves dominated the rivals and could have scored more had it not been for bad luck.
Akram Afif almost scored at the stroke of half-time whistle as his chip shot hit the crossbar. This was after al-Haydous chipped the ball over the bar.
Akram had a goal ruled out for offside in the 41st minute.
Al Wakrah’s real chance came in the 45th minute, but Lucas Mendes’ long-range shot crashed against the right upright and Mohamed Benyettou was off-target with the rebound.
The Blue Wave had two other opportunities. Murad Naji’s free-kick was stabbed out by Al Sadd goalkeeper Meshaal Essa Barshim and Cristian Ceballos sent his shot wide of the target.
Al Wakrah lifted their game in the second half and soon Boualem Khoukhi effected a goalline save off a shot from Ceballos. However, the margin was reduced when Akram headed Ceballo’s free-kick into his own goal even as Ousmane Coulibaly too jumped high for the ball.
But Al Sadd were unrelenting and added two quick goals. Bounedjah found the mark with almost a solo effort and then Akram deflected in Abdelkarim’s cross to make it tough for Al Wakrah.
Al Sadd could now afford to rest some players and in came Musaab Khadir, Ahmed Bader Sayyar, Mohamed Waad and Rodrigo Tabata. However, the scoreline remained the same.
Earlier in the day, in the 20th minute, in their first proper attack on Al Duhail goal, Al Sailiya scored. Mohanad pounced on a loose deflection following a corner kick and slipped in the ball past keeper Mohamed al-Bakri. It was the Iraqi striker’s sixth goal of the season.
Al Sailiya jumped to a 2-0 lead with a well-placed header by Mbodji off a corner kick by Nadir Belhadj. The towering Senegalese defender jumped high over his marker and connected well for his team’s second goal on the swinging corner kick taken by Belhadj.
In the 66th minute of what was a fast-paced match, Abdelrahman Mohamed of Al Duhail nearly pulled off a goal, off a neat cross from Mohanad, but his deflection from close range hit the post with Al Sailiya keeper well-beaten.
A minute later, Al Duhail’s substitute Mohamed Muntari also missed the target in similar fashion, misdirecting his header from close range.
In the dying seconds of the match, Eduardo tapped the ball into the net from close range for Al Duhail’s consolation goal.
