tag

Leaders Al Gharafa will be aiming for a swift return to winning ways as they face upbeat Umm Salal in the opening match of second leg of the Qatar Stars League (QSL) at the Al Khor Stadium today. Al Gharafa lost to Al Shahania in the previous round, which left them with 25 points. While they remain at the top of standings, they are aware that any further slip-up could complicate their position at the summit, making a strong response and early recovery crucial. “The upcoming match against Umm Salal is crucial. I am not happy with our previous-round performance against Al Shahania. However, I have witnessed a positive reaction from the players, demonstrated through their daily work and desire to put the past behind them, rediscover the team’s character and maintain its strength,” said Al Gharafa coach Pedro Martins.**media[401507]**“We now have a very important match ahead of us and we are aiming for a strong response to secure a victory. All these factors make the match challenging, but I have confidence in my players’ ability to deliver a strong performance against Umm Salal,” said Martins.Umm Salal are riding high after their valuable victory over Al Ahli in the last round, a win that has given them a significant boost before this challenging encounter. Umm Salal are currently in 10th place with nine points and seek to continue their winning streak, improve their position in the standings and gradually move away from the relegation zone. The match is an important test for both teams at the start of the round, between Al Gharafa’s desire to confirm their right to the top spot and Umm Salal’s ambition to build on their recent victory and deliver a strong performance that reflects their gradual return to their usual level. Umm Salal head coach Patrice Carteron has described the match as both important and challenging. Speaking at a pre-match press conference, the French coach said the match would be difficult for both teams, with each pushing for victory and the three points.**media[401508]**Carteron said Umm Salal are fully prepared for the match and expressed hope of building on their recent momentum following a win over Al Ahli in the previous round. He stressed that his team will be playing for victory as they look to improve their position in the league table. In the other match of the day, Al Sailiya and Al Rayyan will meet in a crucial match at the Grand Hamad Stadium of Al Arabi club. The kick-off is at 7.30pm. This encounter holds particular significance for both teams. Al Sailiya, under the tutelage of Mirghani al-Zain, aiming for a strong start to the second leg of competition. Meanwhile, Al Rayyan, under the guidance of their Portuguese coach Artur Jorge, will be looking to maintain their title challenge. “The first half of the season was fantastic for us, but we must continue working hard to maintain our position at the top of the league. Currently, we are in the top four of the league and leading the QSL Cup and the Gulf Champions League. In the second half, we must try to maintain the same desire and enthusiasm to achieve even more and reach our goals for this season,” Jorge said. “We have several new players who have joined the team this season. Al Rayyan is one of the biggest club in Qatar, and we must approach every match with the aim of winning. Our objective in the upcoming match is to secure the three points. We must also avoid the mistakes we made in the first half. We have a different opponent, and we must play with the same mentality and achieve victory to start the second half of the season with an important win.” Al Sailiya currently sit in 11th place, second to last, with eight points, while Al Rayyan occupy fourth place with 20 points. TODAY’S SCHEDULE Al Gharafa vs Umm SalalAl Khor Stadium, 5.30pmAl Rayyan vs Al SailiyaGrand Hamad Stadium, 7.30pm 

Robert Firmino registered a hat-trick as Al Sadd humbled Umm Salal 8-3 in the Qatar Stars League at the Al Khor Stadium. The defending champions led 3-2 at half time.Firmino scored in the 24th, 65th and 70th minutes of the match while Akram Afif (28th minute), Rafa Mujica (43rd minute), Giovani Henrique (48th minute), Claudinho (73rd minute), and Agustin Silvera (80th minute) contributed a goal each.For Umm Salal, Edidiong Essien (31st minute), Jean Evrard Kouassi (45+5 minute), and Sayed Hassan Issa (90+3 minute) were on target. The mercurial Afif besides scoring one goal was also instrumental in initiating two other strikes, and provided assists in two more.Veteran Hassan al-Haydos made an assist for Firmino to complete his hat-trick. The big margin win was Al Sadd’s fourth of the league and took their tally to 14 points to prop them two places up into 5th while Umm Salal remain 11th with six points after a seventh loss.Al Sailiya rally to hold Duhail 2-2Al Duhail threw away a two-goal lead and were held to a 2-2 draw by Al Sailiya at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium. The Red Knights were in cruise control in the first half with two superb goals, a stunning opener from Krzysztof Piątek in the 38th minute and another great goal by Edmilson Junior in the 43rd minute, before Al Sailiya turned the situation around in the second half through Khaled Ali who secured the equalizer within three minutes (58th minute) and (61st minute).Al Duhail, who advanced to 12 points to be 7th in standings, were guilty of several missed opportunities, while Al Sailiya, who have been suffering from inconsistent performances, count themselves lucky to have escaped with a point that moved them to 7 points and 10th place in the standings.