Umm Salal coach Patrice Beaumelle
Doha, Qatar: Umm Salal and Al Markhiya face off today in a play-off which will decide the final spot in next season’s Qatar Stars League (QSL).
The match will kick off at 7pm at the Bayt Stadium.
The one-off fixture pits the 11th-placed side in the 2024-2025 Qatar Stars League (OSL) against the Second Division runners-up.
The winner of today’s clash will join the newly crowned Second Division champions Al Sailiya in next season’s top tier.
Umm Salal, under Frenchman Patrice Beaumelle, secured back-to-back wins over stronger opponents Al Ahli and Al Arabi in the closing rounds of the OSL season to finish 11th with 21 points.
“We achieved two important victories in our last two league matches against Al Ahli and Al Arabi, and I see the team’s performance improving steadily. We will enter the Al Markhiya match fully prepared, with the spirit and ambition to advance and achieve our desired goal,” Beaumelle said during a pre-match press conference yesterday.
However, Beaumelle admitted that there is pressure on his players with place in top division at stake.
“The pressure makes the match more difficult, and I hope it doesn’t affect the players negatively.”
“The important thing is that we focus on ourselves and play with the same high spirit and enthusiasm that we showed in the league matches. I have great confidence in the players and their ability to give their best to achieve victory and ensure our survival in the First Division,” said Beaumelle.
Al Markhiya coach Sultan Al Musaifiri was equally confident his squad can achieve their promotion to the top tier.
“They know exactly what this match means, and they have proved time and again throughout the season that they are the men who can handle difficult situations. This group deserves the opportunity to play in the Qatar Stars League and I am confident that they will rise to the occasion and give their all in this crucial encounter,” Al Musaifiri said.
“We are aware of the magnitude of the challenge facing a team the size of Umm Salal, but we have the confidence, ambition and players capable of making a difference,” Al Musaifiri concluded.
