Nam Tae-hee and Santi Cazorla scored on either side of the break as champions Al Sadd beat Al Gharafa 2-0 to maintain their unbeaten run in the QNB Stars League on Saturday.
A 16th minute strike by South Korean Nam put Al Sadd ahead before Cazorla converted a penalty in the 65th minute as Al Sadd took their tally to 54 points from 20 matches, three of which ended in draws.
Al Gharafa stood on 30 points following their ninth loss and are going through a lean patch, having lost 2-0 to Al Gharafa in the league earlier and 3-0 to Al Rayyan in the Ooredoo Cup semis.
The Wolves, who rested their international players who were on duty recently, adopted a cautious approach in the first half. However, they succeeded in taking the lead as Nam capitalised on a chipped through pass by Cazorla and sent the ball home past an advancing goalkeeper Yousef Hassan.
Al Gharafa created two chances in the first half, but Sofiane Hanni and Ahmed al-Janahi both sent their shots wide of the target.
Al Sadd unleashed attacks from the start of the second half.
Yousef Abdulrazaq missed a chance in the 46th minute and, two minutes later, Rodrigo Tabata’s effort was saved by Al Gharafa defender Homam al-Ameen even as the goalkeeper was out of his charge.
Al Sadd brought in Baghdad Bounedjah and Ali Asad in place of Hosam Kamal and Yousef Abdulrazaq.
Al Sadd then went 2-0 up. The penalty was awarded when substitute Saeed al-Hajj handled the ball and Cazorla sent Yousef the wrong way, though with a feeble kick.
Action soon hotted up as shots by Nam first and Cazorla off the rebound were blocked by the goalkeeper.
At the other end, Hanni missed a sitter as Al Sadd goalkeeper Motaz Barsham thwarted him.
Al Sadd had beaten Al Gharafa 4-1 in the first leg of 2020-21 season QNB Stars League.
Al Sadd head coach Xavi Hernandez spoke of his satisfaction after his side’s victory.
Speaking to the club website after the game, Xavi said: “I am happy with the win over Al Gharafa, and I am very happy with the rotation of the players. Due to the weather and fatigue, some of the players suffered.”
“We want to end the championship without a defeat.”
He added: “We have not lost until now, and we played a great game despite the absence of many players, against a team that will play in the AFC Champions League.”
As for his side’s preparations for the continental tournament, Xavi said: “We are preparing very well to play in the Champions League. We have an excellent team that can get good results, and we are better than in the last edition, in a difficult group.”