Al Sadd captain Xavi (left) and striker Akram Afif (right) celebrate along with their team-mates during their QSL match against Qatar SC at Qatar SC Stadium, yesterday. Pic: Mohammad Farag
DOHA: In-form Al Sadd continued their goal-scoring spree to thrash Qatar SC on their home turf, claiming a 5-1 victory in their sixth QNB Stars League (QSL) match, yesterday.
In another match at Al Ahli Stadium yesterday, defending champions Al Duhail continued close pursuit of leaders Al Sadd in the QSL standings with a fighting 2-1 victory over Al Ahli .
Al Sadd were looking in the similar form of their 5-0 crushing over Al Rayyan in Qatar Clasico last week as they dismantled Qatar SC defence with back-to-back attacks.
They were outstanding in the first half scoring three goals and adding a couple of more goals in the final session to seal another commanding victory in the season.
Hamid Ismail scored the first goal for ‘The Wolves’ following a free kick in the 12th minute, with league’s top scorer Baghdad Boundejah doubling the lead for in the 19th minute.
Qatar star Akram Afif made it 3-0 in the 28th minute before Qatar SC star Samuel Eto’o reduced the lead six minutes before the half-time whistle.
Captain Xavi scored the fourth goal for Al Sadd with his clinical free kick in the 57th minute.
Ahmed Bader struck the last-gasp goal to seal the crushing victory.
Earlier, Yousef El Arabi (30th and 36th minutes) scored for Al Duhail, while substitute Mohsin Al Yazeedi reduced the margin for Al Ahli in the 88th minute.
Moroccan striker El Arabi, the top scorer in the last two seasons, took his tally to seven goals.
Al Duhail moved on to 16 points as Al Ahli remained on six.
Al Ahli matched their formidable rivals ball for ball initially, but gradually faded out.
Ali Ferydoon spearheaded their attack, but he could not do much as he was tightly marked.
At the other end, El Arabi and Almoez Ali led Al Duhail’s attacks, with ample support from Nam Tae-Hee and Paolo Edmilson in the midfield.
While Al Duhail missed Murad Naji, who was red-carded during their victory over Al Gharafa in Week 6, Al Ahli were without Barro Siddiqi and Meshaal Abdulla who both were unwell.
Al Ahli got the first real chance in the 19th minute. Majed Mohammed connected a Nigel de Jong free-kick, but shot over the bar.
El Arabi opened the scoring on the half-hour mark by evading the offside trap and headed home after Bassam Al Rawi lobbed in the ball from long distance.
Their second goal came when El Arabi produced a placing shot off a cross from the right by Edmilson.
Nam missed the target twice before the teams went into the break. Al Ahli almost reduced the margin in the 70th minute except for a goalline save by Sultan Al Breik off a shot from Ferydoon.
Soon Al Ahli goalkeeper Yazan Naim blocked Ali Afif’s shot.
Al Ahli’s goal came off the boots of Mohsin, who capitalised on a defensive lapse. He had come in for Majed in the second half. Nam then cracked a shot against the right upright in stoppage time.
