Doha, Qatar: Former champions Al Sadd will be looking to secure their second win-in-a-row when they take on Al Ahli in a Week 2 clash of the Expo Stars League.
The match which will be placed at the iconic Khalifa International Stadium has all the ingredients of a nail-biting clash as both teams look to make early strides in the new season.
Already enjoying a victorious start to the season, a 3-1 win against Umm Salal, Al Sadd are brimming with confidence.
Coach Bruno Miguel emphasised the importance of maintaining their winning mentality from the previous match.
“We played well in that match and got a good result,” Miguel said during a pre-match press conference, underlining the positive energy within the team.
However, Al Sadd are not underestimating the formidable challenge that Al Ahli poses. Miguel acknowledged that their opponents are determined to rebound from their defeat against Al Duhail.
“Al Ahli will also be a strong competitor for us because they are coming from a defeat against Al Duhail and for sure they will correct a lot of things, but we want to continue winning matches and that is our goal of course. I think our last match was really positive for us,” Miguel noted.
Al Ahli, on the other hand, are seeking redemption after their 1-2 loss to Al Duhail. Montenegrin coach Nebojsa Jovovic emphasised the need for his team to deliver a proper comeback.
“We respect Al Sadd as a strong and distinguished team, but we also respect our capabilities and must appear at the best technical level to achieve victory,” Jovovic said.
“Given the last match against Al Duhail, we played a good second half and will have to improve performance more and present a good level (against Al Sadd) and achieve the team’s goal by obtaining the three points,” Jovovic said.
Both teams boast a roster of exceptional players poised to make their mark. Al Sadd’s star striker, Baghdad Bounedjah, is back in action after recovering from an injury. The line-up also includes Akram Afif and Hassan Al Haydous, along with newcomers Mateus Uribe and Gonzalo Plata.
Al Ahli, meanwhile, will rely on a strong attacking line led by Naim Sliti, Idrissa Doumbia, Danilo Arboleda, and Amin Tihi.
The day's first match will see Al Gharafa and Al Markhiya competing in another crucial encounter at Al Bayt Stadium. Al Gharafa secured one point from their Week 1 draw (4-4) with Qatar SC, while Al Markhiya have yet to earn any points after losing to Al Rayyan.
