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Leaders Al Sadd produced a strong comeback to defeat Al Duhail 3-1 in a thrilling Qatar Stars League clash at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium last night. Duhail took the lead shortly after the break through Edmilson Junior in the 47th minute, but the momentum quickly shifted in Sadd’s favour. The visitors drew level in the 52nd minute when Yousef Ayman turned Akram Afif’s cross into his own net, before Rafa Mujica completed the turnaround just two minutes later. Giovani Henrique sealed the victory for the defending champions in the 83rd minute, finishing off a well-worked move set up by Afif to secure three valuable points for the Wolves. The win marked Sadd’s 10th consecutive league victory and strengthened their grip at the top of the standings, maintaining a four-point advantage over closest challengers Al Gharafa. In contrast, Al Duhail’s struggles continued as they extended their winless run to four matches – two draws and two defeats – leaving them eighth with 21 points and drifting further from the top-four race. Meanwhile at Thani Bin Jassim Stadium, Gharafa came from behind to claim an entertaining 3-2 victory over Al Rayyan. Rodrigo Moreno gave Rayyan an early lead in the fourth minute, finishing clinically after collecting a pass from Aleksandar Mitrovic. Gharafa responded after the break when Ferjani Sassi equalised in the 57th minute following a deflected delivery from Alvaro Djalo Fernandes. Amro Surag put the hosts ahead four minutes later, arriving to finish from close range, before Joselu extended the lead in the 84th minute with a powerful strike from outside the box after another contribution from Surag. Roger Guedes converted a stoppage-time penalty for Rayyan, while late drama saw Gharafa’s Saifeldeen Fadlalla sent off deep into added time. The victory moved Gharafa into second place on 34 points, with Al Rayyan remaining fourth on 28. Action continues today with Umm Salal facing Al Wakrah at Al Khor Stadium as both sides seek crucial points. Umm Salal aim to build on consecutive wins that have revived their survival hopes, while Al Wakrah look to recover from defeat to Al Sadd. Elsewhere, Al Ahli meet bottom side Al Shahaniy at Al Thumama Stadium in a key relegation encounter. Saturday, in-form Al Shamal take on Qatar SC seeking a third straight win, although they will be without suspended striker Baghdad Bounedjah. The round 17 concludes with Al Arabi facing Al Sailiya as both teams attempt to bounce back from recent setbacks. Remaining Fixtures(All matches kick-off at 9:30pm) Friday: Umm Salal vs Al Wakrah at Al KhorStadium; Al Ahli vs Al Shahaniya atAl Thumama Stadium Saturday: Al Shamal vs Qatar SC atAl Shamal Stadium; Al Arabi vs Al Sailiya atAl Thumama Stadium 

League leaders Al Sadd will look to take another decisive step towards retaining the Qatar Stars League title when they face fierce rivals Al Duhail SC in Thursday’s exciting clash at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium.The encounter adds another chapter to one of Qatar football’s defining modern rivalries, with both sides dominating domestic honours over the past decade and regularly battling for silverware. Sadd arrive in commanding form, sitting top of the standings with four point lead and riding an eight-match winning streak that has strengthened their push for a third successive league crown.Wolves' coach Roberto Mancini stressed the importance of maintaining focus in what he described as one of the season’s toughest fixtures, noting that victories against direct rivals remain crucial in the title race. “The next match will be very important, like all matches,” Mancini said. “If we want to win the league, we must beat teams such as Al Duhail and Al Arabi. We know it will be a difficult game.”He added that clashes between the two sides consistently deliver high intensity and quality, with Sadd determined to continue their winning run and move closer to the title. Captain Hassan al-Haydos echoed his coach’s sentiments, expecting a demanding contest as the league enters its decisive phase.“We expect a strong and difficult match,” Al-Haydos said. “We are in the final stretch of the league and are targeting three points in every game. We were not at our best against Al Wakrah, especially in the first half, and we must improve. The support of our fans will be very important during this period.”For Duhail, the match represents an opportunity to revive a challenging league campaign. Last season’s runners-up currently sit eighth with 21 points following inconsistent results. Coach Djamel Belmadi expects another closely fought encounter, highlighting the long-standing competitiveness between the two clubs despite their contrasting league positions this season. “Matches between Al Sadd and Al Duhail are always tight,” Belmadi said. “The rivalry reflects the competitiveness between the two teams, and it is difficult to predict how this match will unfold.”Al Duhail enter the fixture without a win in their last three matches, most recently drawing 1-1 with Al Arabi, and will be under pressure to deliver a strong response against the leaders.Meanwhile, third-placed Al Gharafa face Al Rayyan at Thani bin Jassim Stadium in another marquee clash. Al Gharafa are aiming to halt a three-match losing streak that has damaged their title hopes, while fourth-placed Al Rayyan, boosted by a 2-1 win over Al Ahli, will rely on attacking duo Roger Guedes and Aleksandar Mitrović as they target a move into the top three.Elsewhere, Umm Salal host Al Wakrah at Al Khor Stadium, with both sides seeking valuable points. Umm Salal have revived their survival hopes with consecutive wins, while Al Wakrah aim to bounce back after defeat to Al Sadd.Struggling Al Ahli meet bottom side Al Shahaniya SC at Al Thumama Stadium in a crucial relegation battle, while high-flying Al Shamal take on Qatar seeking a third straight victory, although they will be without suspended striker Baghdad Bounedjah. Round 17 concludes with Al Arabi facing Al Sailiya, with both teams eager to recover dropped points. QATAR STARS LEAGUE FIXTURES(All matches kick-off at 9:30pm)Thursday: Al Gharafa vs Al Rayyan - Thani bin Jassim Stadium; Al Duhail vs Al Sadd - Abdullah bin Khalifa StadiumFriday: Umm Salal vs Al Wakrah - Al Khor Stadium; Al Ahli vs Al Shahaniya - Al Thumama StadiumSaturday: Al Shamal vs Qatar SC - Al Shamal Stadium; Al Arabi vs Al Sailiya - Al Thumama Stadium 

A fabulous free kick from Edmilson Junior saw Al Duhail hold Al Arabi 1-1 in their Qatar Stars League (QSL) match at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium Saturday.The Dream Team had fetched the lead in the 23rd minute after Karl Toko Ekambi chested down a long ball in front of the six-yard box before scoring off a rebound from the rival goalkeeper's block. The Red Knights got the equalizer in the 65th minute as Al Arabi goalkeeper Jassem al-Hail was beaten by Edmislon’s powerful kick - taken from five yards away of the goalline on the left. The flying ball also took Al Hail into the net with its force. The shared spoils meant that Al Arabi moved down a rung to sixth place in the standings with a total tally of 24 points while Al Duhail remained eighth, moving up by a point to 21. 

Head coach Julen Lopetegui has unveiled Qatar’s 26-player squad for the upcoming training camp and international friendly against Zimbabwe, set for November 17 at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha. The match, kicking off at 7:30pm, is part of Qatar’s preparations for the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 and the FIFA World Cup 2026.The new squad blends seasoned internationals with emerging talents from across the Qatar Stars League. However, several star players have been rested, including attacking duo Akram Afif and Almoez Ali. Defenders Boualem Khoukhi, Karim Boudiaf and Pedro Miguel, along with winger Edmilson Junior and midfielder Abdulaziz Hatem also among those sitting out this fixture.Lopetegui said the November camp is an opportunity to give younger players international exposure and to assess tactical options as Qatar continues building toward next year’s World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.The draw for the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025 has placed the home side in Group A, alongside Tunisia, the winner of the Syria–South Sudan play-off, Palestine, and Libya.Qatar squad: Ahmed Suhail, Tariq Salman, Mohammed Waad, Meshaal Barsham (GK), Mustafa Tariq (Al Sadd); Ahmed Al Janahi, Ayoub Mohammed, Mohammed Muntari (Al Gharafa); Tahseen Mohammed, Sultan Al Buraik, Hammam Al Amin, Youssef Ayman (Al Duhail); Ahmed Alaa, Jassim Jaber, Mahmoud Abu Nada (GK) (Al Rayyan); Ahmed Fathi, Al Hashemi, Al Hussein Mohammed Khaled (Al Arabi); Asim Madibo, Lucas Mendes, Nabil Irfan (Al Wakrah); Ahmed Al Rawi (Qatar SC); Khaled Ali (Al Sailiya); Khaled Mohammed (Al Ahli); Shehab Al Laithi (GK) (Al Shahaniya); and Mohammed Manaei (Al Shamal).Vale calls up 26 players for U-23 national team campPortuguese coach Elidio Vale has also announced a 26-player roster for Qatar’s U-23 national team as preparations intensify for the 2026 AFC U-23 Championship in Saudi Arabia.Qatar have been drawn in Group B for the continental finals, alongside two-time champions Japan, the UAE, and Syria. The team qualified after topping their group with a perfect record of nine points from three matches, finishing ahead of India (6 points), Bahrain (3), and Brunei (0).U-23 squadMohamed Ali, Mohamed Hani, Moaz Ibrahim, Abubakr Mohamed (GK), Abdullah Mujeeb, Bassam Adel (Calahorra FC, Spain), Ahmed Al Hashemi (Alcorcón, Spain), Ali Mohammed, Nour El-Din Ibrahim, Ahmed Riad, Jassim Al Sharshani (Al Ahli), Ghanem Al Minhali, Mubarak Shanan, Amir Hassan (GK) (Al Duhail), Muath Al Wadiyya, Anas Abdel Salam, Abdel Aziz Mohammed (Al Shahaniya), Mehdi Al Muajaba, Abdul Rahman Bakri (Al Sadd), Marwan Sharif (Al Arabi), Mustafa Al Sayed (Al Rayyan), Ahmed Hajana (Al Khor), Hassan Al Gharib (Lusail), Saif Al Din Hassan (Al Gharafa), Fares Saeed (Umm Salal), and Ali Ghlais (GK) (Al Shamal).

Qatar romped to a 13-0 win over Brunei in their Group H clash at the AFC U23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium Wednesday.Qatar’s opening goal came in the fourth minute through Moustafa Asar and Jassem al-Sharshani claiming their second two minutes later.Mubarak Hamza converted a penalty for their third in the 11th minute as the hosts scored their seventh in the 33rd minute through Abdulaziz Hassan as the West Asian side proceeded to race to a 7-0 lead at the interval.Three more goals came within the span of four minutes in the second half, with Asar claiming his hat-trick in the 54th, Noureldan Ibrahim adding another two minutes later and then Asar again in the 57th minute.Marawan Brimil put his name on the scoresheet in the 70th and 83rd minutes before Ibrahim wrapped proceedings with his brace in the fifth minute of stoppage time.In the other Group H clash, India eked out a 2-0 win over Bahrain at the Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium.A first half strike by Muhammad Suhail and another in the dying minutes by Shivaldo Singh was enough to give India victory over Bahrain in their group opener.Both sides were evenly matched in the first half an hour before India broke the deadlock in the 31st minute through Suhail, who plays for Indian Super League side Punjab FC.While Bahrain had an edge in possession in the second half, they failed to find the equaliser, managing only three shots at target.They lost any chance of gaining a point when India doubled their lead five minutes into stoppage time with a goal from Singh.Bahrain will play Brunei on Saturday.