The in-form Umm Salal will look to continue their winning run when they take on Qatar SC in the QNB Stars League on Friday at the Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium. The Orange Fortress, who are fifth with 25 points from 16 matches including six wins and seven draws, have been in scintillating form this season. Wesam Rizik’s men in their previous two matches have defeated Al Gharafa 3-1 before thrashing Umm Salal 6-0 to ignite top four hopes.
Against Qatar SC, who are ninth with 16 points from 15 matches, Umm Salal will fancy another victory. However, Rizik felt Qatar SC may be struggling in the league but they have a talented side.
“Qatar SC are one of the strong and organised teams, and we worked for the game with utmost importance because it is a big match against a respected team,” Umm Salal coach told a pre-match press conference yesterday.
“I know Qatar SC are good and their results do not reflect their excellent performance. We underwent strong training and all players were in full concentration in order to achieve satisfactory results in view of the hectic schedule,” he added.
Rizik said his players are fresh after a break in the QSL, saying all of his team’s focus is on finishing the league on a good position. “It was also an opportunity for the players and technical staff to correct mistakes, so that we can finish the season in a good position. Every player takes into account the great importance of the matches, especially since the upcoming rounds will of course be difficult for all teams because each team seeks to improve its position in the table. From here, all matches will be difficult for the teams and we hope to continue our good form,” he said.
Meanwhile, Qatar SC coach Youssef Safri said his team is targeting a positive result in the match. “The results are the most important factor in football, and this will not be achieved without great work from the entire system. That is what we are doing on the ground and what we need are only positive results, as we have been doing in the last four or five matches. We have presented distinct technical levels,” he said.
In another match today, sixth-placed Al Arabi will meet Al Shamal at the Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium, hoping for maximum points to raise their points tally of 23 from 16 games. Al Shamal are placed 10th with 13 points. Also today, Al Ahli will host Al Khor in Round 17 clash.
Tomorrow, leaders Al Sadd will take on Al Gharafa at home. The defending champions Al Sadd top the table with 40 points with two matches in hand – against Qatar SC and Al Rayyan – which were postponed, while Al Gharafa are fourth in the table with 26 points. Al Gharafa and Al Sadd are in great form, having beaten Qatar SC (3-2) and Al Arabi (4-2 in Qatar Derby) respectively in their last match. Sadd, under Spaniard Javi Gracia, are the only unbeaten team in the tournament.
Sadd will welcome the return of South Korean international Jung Woo-young, who rejoined the squad after his national team’s 2022 World Cup qualifying games, which ended in his side booking their spots in the finals in Qatar. Sadd will hold their final training session today, at the end of which the coach Gracia will announce the list of players for the game.
The biggest match of the weekend is though between Al Rayyan and Al Duhail, with both teams seeking important wins. Al Duhail, under Portuguese Luis Castro, are second in the table from 16 matches with 33 points. Six points separate them from leaders and champions Al Sadd.
The Red Knights, who have registered 10 victories, three draws and as many defeats, have struggled for consistency with their title ambition slipping away from them. Duhail suffered further setback in their title hopes when they were beaten 4-0 by Al Wakrah last week.
Al Rayyan, coached by Laurent Blanc, are placed seventh with 17 points from 15 matches. The Lions, who were held 1-1 by Al Ahli in their last match with Blanc running out of time for a top four finish.
Also tomorrow, Al Wakrah face Al Sailiya. Al Wakrah have been in good form and are placed third with 28 points from 16 matches. They scored an impressive win over Duhail before succumbing to a heavy 0-6 defeat to Al Sadd on Monday. However, The Blue Wave, under Spaniard Marquez Lopez, are in a good position to finish in top four. Al Sailiya, coached by Tunisian Sami Trabelsi, did well in Week 15 by holding Al Duhail to a 1-1 draw. But The Peregrines, who played out a 1-1 draw with Al Khor in Week 16, have only one victory, four draws.

Round 17 Fixtures
Today: 4:35pm: Al Ahli vs Al Khor at
Al Ahli Stadium; 4:35pm: Al Arabi vs
Al Shamal at Qatar SC Stadium; 6:45pm: Umm Salal vs Qatar SC
at Qatar SC Stadium
Tomorrow: 4:35pm: Al Wakrah vs
Al Sailiya at Al Ahli Stadium; 4:35pm:
Al Sadd vs Al Gharafa at Al Sadd
Stadium; 7:05pm: Al Rayyan vs
Al Duhail at Al Sadd Stadium