Al Arabi's Mehrdad Mohammdi Keshrazi vies for the ball with Qatar SC players. Pic: Abdul Basit
Al Arabi got off to a winning start to the new QNB Stars League (QSL) season, blanking 10-man Qatar SC 2-0 at the Education City Stadium, yesterday.
Both the Younes Ali side’s goals came in the second half after Sebastian Soria was sent off in the 59th minute following a goalless first half.
Soria, while trying to charge with the ball, had brought down Ahmed Fathi after he was cautioned with a yellow card in the 16th minute for fouling captain Abdulla Al Marafi.
Fathi broke the deadlock after Aaron Salem Boupendza’s hit took goalkeeper Sataa Abdulnaser’s deflection in the 70th minute. Substitute Ibrahem Kalla ended Qatar SC’s hopes of an equaliser with a strike following an assist by Al Marafi in the 90th minute.
The game also marked the QSL debut for Brazilian defender Matheus Jussa, who joined Yousef Safri-coached Qatar SC on loan from Fortaleza.
Action during the match between Al Gharafa and Al Sailiya. Pic: Rajan Vadakkemuriyil
In yesterday’s second match, Al Gharafa also bagged full points in their first match of the season after edging Al Sailiya 2-1 at the Khalifa International Stadium.
Moayad Hassan took Al Gharafa ahead in the 31st minute with a left-footed shot, with Amro Surag doubling the lead in 48th minute. Al Sailiya pulled one back off substitute Mohanad Ali’s header from a cross in the 67th minute.
However, Al Gharafa managed to hold on the lead despite multiple attacks from Al Sailiya to start season with a victory.
Al Duhail and Al Wakrah set for exciting clash
Meanwhile, last season’s runners-up Al Duhail and Al Wakrah, who emerged as dark horses having finished third in the standing, will square off at the Education City Stadium today.
Despite missing eight of their national stars, who are preparing for the FIFA World Cup 2022 with the Qatar national team squad, coach Hernan Crespo is confident of a positive start by Al Duhail.
“While we are proud of the fact that many of our players are with the Qatar national team preparing for the FIFA World Cup 2022, we will miss them at the same time,” Crespo said at a press conference yesterday.
“But we have young players who deserve to be with us and they have made great efforts during our training camp and are now ready for our first appearance this season. We will show everyone how focused and capable the team is towards achieving the desired results,” he added.
Meanwhile, Al Rayyan will be hoping for a winning start as they will meet Al Shamal in their opening match of the season at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in today’s second match. Al Rayyan finished eighth in the last QSL season but recovered well by entering the AFC Champions League Round of 16 under coach Nicolas Cordova.
“A good beginning is always a difficult task but we have prepared the best way we can. Our overseas training camp was good and the team’s physical preparation has also been good. We are ready to win the first match,” said Cordova.
“Al Shamal did well in the last league season and for us meeting them in the opening match would be a tough contest,” he added.
Al Shamal achieved some good results as they finished 10th in the last season, with coach Hisham Zahid hoping for a better show this season.
“Our ambition this season is greater than last season, when our goal was to stay in the league. But this season, we seek to be in a good position away from the danger zone,” he said.
“We will face a big team in the first round and we have to be sufficiently prepared,” Zahid added.
