Eljaish’s Karim Ziani celebrates after scoring against Lekhwiya during their Qatar Stars League match, yesterday. Eljaish won 1-0. RIGHT: Al Wakra’s French player Pierre Alain Frau (left) celebrates with his team-mate Iraqi player Younis Mahmood after scoring a goal against Al Sailiya during their QSL match.
DOHA: Tireless performer Karim Ziani yesterday produced a goal in the 86th minute to lift Eljaish past Qatar Stars League (QSL) champions Lekhwiya at Al Gharafa Stadium.
Ziani went for a first-time shot from the edge of the Lekhwiya box after a long-range cross by a teammate was missed by two Eljaish players and a couple of Lekhwiya defenders.
The 30-year-old Algerian midfielder ticked off wild celebration in the Eljaish camp as coach Razvan Lucescu threw his arms up in the air as the ball went past Lekhwiya goalkeeper Baba Malick.
It was a welcome win for Eljaish who went down to Umm Salal last week.
In the first half, Lekhwiya clearly dictated terms but with long-rage efforts.
In the first twenty minutes, Luiz Martin Junior twice fired long-range shots but the ball missed the target on each occasion. The second attempt was pretty spectacular but Eljaish goalkeeper Rodrigues Dos Santos was severely tested every time Martin touched the ball.
Lekhwiya’s Mohammed Mousa - closer to the first-half whistle - produced a spectacular curling shot that almost sailed into the net from long range.
Watched by Qatar national team coach Paulo Autuori from the stands, Karim Baoudiaf of Lekhwiya also nearly scored from the edge of the box but Eljaish defence held firm under relentless attacks by the QSL champions. However, Eljaish found the net through Ziani - later declared the Man-of-the-Match - for their first win of the season.
Also yesterday, Al Rayyan crushed Umm Salal 5-0 for their second successive win in QSL.
Brazilian import Nilmar Da Silva posted the season’s first hat-trick (6, 33 and 90 + 3) while Fabio Cesar added one in the 31st minute.
Tabata scored off a penalty in the 50th minute to round off Al Rayyan’s hugely successful day at Al Rayyan Satdium. Nilmar put Al Rayyan ahead in just the sixth minute, taking the ball outside the Umm Salal box and shooting past a diving goalkeeper.
In the 31st minute, Al Rayyan went 2-0 up.
Captain Cesar - after collecting the ball around 50 meters away from the goal-line - charged into Umm Salal box and then unleashed a powerful drive to double Al Rayyan’s lead.
In the 33rd minute, Al Rayyan added to Umm Salal’s woes by firing a third. Cesar found Tabata unmarked near the Umm Salal box.
After receiving the ball Tabata passed it on to Nilmar inside the box and the Brazilian easily flicked one past goalkeeper Mohammed Aneas.
Soon after the break Tabata made it 4-0, scoring off a penalty in the 50th minute.
In the dying minutes, Nilmar produced a header from close range for his side’s fifth goal.
In another match yesterday, Al Wakra hammered Al Sailiay 3-0.
Iraqi striker Younis Mahmood scored two goals (34 and 77) while Pierre Alain Frau added one in the 64th minute.
It was Al Wakra’s second successive win following their shock victory against former champions Al Gharafa last Sunday.
The Peninsula
