Action from the QSL Cup match between Al Gharafa and Al Kharaitiyat at Al Gharafa Stadium yesterday. Pic: Abdul Basit/The Peninsula
DOHA: Qatar football giants Al Duhail and Umm Salal played out a 1-1 draw as battle to conquer Group A continued after Round 3 matches of QSL Cup yesterday.
Al Gharafa thrashed Al Al Kharaitiyat 3-0 to register their first victory in the tournament and climb on top of the group, while Qatar SC edged Al Arabi 2-1 to claim winning points in another match of the group yesterday.
At Suhaim bin Hamad Stadium, Al Duhail star Yousef El Arabi rescued his side from a setback, scoring a late equaliser after Umm Salal took the lead.
Both the teams entered yesterday’s game with four points apiece and with a same goal difference, and Al Duhail having an edge only for scoring more number of goals (three as against Umm Salal’s one).
Both looked matching outfits sharing ball possession and exchanging attacks on an even basis. However, there were no goals until the 77th minute when Umm Salal broke the deadlock. It was Abdula Hassan Kamal,
U-23 player, who scored opening goal of the match on a ball from Yannick Sagbo.
With five Al Duhail players inside the circle, Sagbo cleverly spotted Kamal from the centre just outside the circle and the youngster made no mistake on his tap into the goal from left.
But just when Umm Salal were sensing a possible victory, El Arabi fired a goal from a close range in the 85th minute to secure a point for Al Duhail.
At Thani bin Jassim Stadium, Moayad Hassan Fedaily (49’ and 92’) scored twice to help Al Gharafa earn their first victory after back-to-back drawn games.
Captain Wesley Sneijder (74’) scored the other goal. The victory put Al Gharafa on top with five points and a better goal difference than Al Duhail and Umm Salal.
In Group B matches on Friday, Al Sailiya held Al Sadd to a 3-3 draw while Al Rayyan clinched a 3-1 victory over Al Shahania 1.
In other match on the same day, Al Khor thrashed Al Ahli 3-1 to continue their good form in the tournament.
