Al Khor’s Tiago Bezerra (left) vies for the ball during yesterday’s Ooredoo Cup Group B match against Al Gharafa.
Tiago Bezerra scored a double as Al Khor fought back from a goal down to beat Al Gharafa 3-1 at the Al Wakrah Stadium in the third round match of Ooredoo Cup yesterday.
Al Gharafa opened the scoring in the 36th minute through Abdulghani Muneer before Bezerra struck once in each half (45+2 and 58) as Helal Mohammed sealed the win with a third goal in the 89th minute.
Yesterday’s win, Al Khor’s second in the tournament, sent them to the top of the table on goal difference in Group B.
Al Khor have collected seven points, same as Qatar SC, but the Knights have scored two more goals than Qatar SC’s seven from three matches.
They had earlier beaten Al Duhail 7-0 in the previous round following a one-all draw against Al Arabi in the opening match of the 12-team tournament.
Al Gharafa remained on one point from three games following their second consecutive defeat.
Al Gharafa were off to a great start when Muneer stepped up with a brilliant 25-yard free-kick which he whipped around the wall and into the far corner of the goal.
Al Khor responded well and levelled the scores during the first-half injury time. Bezerra leapt high to meet a cross at the back post and firmly headed home, beating goalkeeper Osama Kamel.
Bezerra scored his second goal with a beautifully-executed free-kick that completely stunned the goalkeeper.
Al Gharafa were trying hard for an equaliser but struggled to get back on level terms. Late into the game, Helal curled in a left-footed free-kick from 25 yards to take the game completely away from Al Gharafa as Al Khor emerged victorious again.
Meanwhile, Qatar SC also managed to stay unbeaten in Group B following a one-all draw against Al Arabi at the Al Ahli Stadium.
Kayke Rodriguez scored in the 55th minute as Qatar SC took the lead before Al Arabi levelled through Abdulla Marafy’s goal in the 83rd minute.
The third match of the day saw Al Sailiya and Al Duhail settling in for a 2-2 draw at the Al Ahli Stadium.
Serigne Mbodji (77) and Meshaal Al Shammari (82 penalty) scored for Al Sailiya, while Paolo Edmilson (73) and Ahmed Yasser (88) were on target for Al Duhail.
