Al Duhail coach Djamel Belmadi celebrates with a player after his team sealed QSL title with a 5-0 victory over Al Kharaitiyat during Round 20.
DOHA: The QNB Stars League (QNB) season is set to end this weekend after around nine months of thrilling action.
With Al Duhail already emerging as champions after an unbeaten campaign and relegations decided, all eyes will be on Umm Salal and Al Gharafa who will be battling out for the coveted fourth spot that will ensure a place in the elite Qatar Cup.
Al Duhail, who have 57 points from 21 games including 18 victories and three draws, will be looking to end their near-perfect campaign with a win when they will meet Al Sailiya at home on Saturday.
They will be crowned champions following the match and will be handed the prestigious Falcon Shield.
Al Duhail, who defeated Al Markhiya 4-2 in the last round, also have scored the most number of goals (81) and have the best goal difference of +56.
The Red Knights had emerged as champions after their 5-0 victory over Al Kharaitiyat and closest challengers Al Sadd lost 1-2 to Umm Salal in Week 20.
Al Sadd who have also confirmed their second spot will meet Al Kharaitiyat the same day.
The following day, which will be a last day of action of the season, the fourth spot will be decided with Al Gharafa facing Qatar SC, and, Umm Salal taking on relegated Al Markhiya.
Both Al Gharafa and Umm Salal have 32 points, but the former are currently fourth on better goal difference (+6 compared to Umm Salal’s -1).
Al Gharafa have nine wins, five draws and seven defeats, while Umm Salal have to their credit eight victories, as many draws and five losses.
Al Gharafa have scored 40 goals and conceded 34, whereas Umm Salal scored 32 goals, but conceded 33 to be one goal in deficit.
However, both Umm Salal and Al Gharafa could face problems against their opponents in their last round matches.
Al Markhiya will be keen to bow out of the top flight on a winning note and that should make things hard for Umm Salal, who must not only win but also hope Al Gharafa drop points.
Going by form and circumstances, Al Gharafa should occupy the fourth spot even though they are up against a much-improved Qatar SC, who are faring well under Abdullah Mubarak.
Al Gharafa and Umm Salal had changed coaches and roped in players in the January transfer window.
And they reaped rewards for it, with Al Gharafa making the most of the changes.
Al Gharafa were only seventh in the QNB Stars League standings with just 11 points and two wins at the end of 11-round first phase!
They started performing in a better way ever since Turk Bulent Uygun took over from Frenchman Jean Fernandez before the start of second phase. The Cheetahs bolstered their ranks by recruiting Dutch attacking midfielder Wesley Sneijder, a FIFA World Cup runner-up and UEFA Champions League winner, Iranian striker Mehdi Taremi and Asim Madbo.
Umm Salal fired Egyptian Mahmoud Jaber and replaced him with Moroccan Talal El Karkouri. They had strengthened the squad in the winter with Tunisian attacking midfielder Oussama Darragi and Mohammed Barois.
And The Orange Fortress’ performance graph has been on the rise.
