Al Duhail's players celebrate after winning the QNB Stars League title at Al Janoub Stadium, on Friday.
A fortnight after lifting their seventh Falcon Shield, champions Al Duhail will begin their title defence against Umm Salal as the QNB Stars League (QSL) 2020-2021 season is set to kick off on September 3, the Qatar Stars League announced yesterday.
Al Sadd, who finished on third spot in the league, will take on newly-promoted Kharaitiyat in the opening match of the new season to be played at Education City Stadium as QSL announced fixtures for the first three weeks.
The Qatar Stars League said it announced the schedule ‘after co-ordination with the authorities concerned’. Various factors were taken into consideration before finalising the schedule including ‘events, tournaments and matches that will be held in Doha in the coming days, participation of Qatari clubs in AFC Champions League and Qualifiers and matches of Qatar’s national teams’.
Meanwhile, Al Gharafa, who finished fourth last season, will also be seen in action on the inaugural when they take on Qatar SC at the Thani Bin Jassim Stadium.
Reigning QSL champions Al Duhail will square off with Umm Salal at the Education City Stadium on September 4, which will also see Al Rayyan playing against Al Sailiya at Hamad Bin Khalifa Stadium.
The Week 2 match between Al Duhail and Al Sadd has been postponed due to their AFC Champions League games.
The second round will begin on September 7 while Week 3 matches will be played from September 11.
The battle for the title is expected to remain between top three sides of the last season – Al Duhail, Al Rayyan and Al Sadd.
Walid Regragui-coached Al Duhail, hoping for the return of their key players like striker Yousef Msakni, Assim Madibo and Bassam Al Rawi, will be a force to be reckoned with after their consistent performance in the recently-concluded season which lent them the title last Friday.
But, Al Sadd, the most successful side in QSL’s history with 14 titles, will be eyeing the crown from their first match after failing to retain the Falcon Shield. Al Sadd coach Xavi Hernandez had said his team will come as a better side in the new QSL season.
“We want to win the QSL. This is one of our main goals for the new season. I think we are a better team than before. We have more options to play with, in all the positions on the pitch,” Xavi had said.
Al Rayyan, coached by Diego Aguirre, who lost just one match last season but finished second behind Al Duhail due to a one-point difference will add spice in the title race.
