(MENAFN- Gulf Times) The Al Duhail vs Al Rayyan match-up on Sunday, highlights the QNB Stars League's Week 3 action. The kick-off is at 7:35pm at the Khalifa International Stadium. Duhail will be keen to continue from where they left off last season. The 2017-18 season QNB Stars League champions will have only victory in mind when they play host to Al Rayyan.
It has to be seen whether Al Rayyan, the third-placed side last season, will stop Al Duhail, who had also annexed the Qatar Cup and Emir's Cup last season, on their tracks. Al Duhail will also be keen to avenge their defeat in the season-opening Sheikh Jassim Cup, where they lost to Al Rayyan on penalties. Al Duhail have six points, but are currently second in the standings behind Al Sadd on goal difference. Al Rayyan stand third with four points.
Al Duhail would not want to drop points at any stage if they are to retain the title, while Al Rayyan have already lost two points following their 1-1 draw with Umm Salal in Week 2. The Red Knights miss injured players Karim Boudiaf and Ismail Mohammed, who both are recovering from surgery. However, they have the likes of Moroccan striker Yousef El Arabi, the league's top scorer in the last two seasons, South Korean attacking midfielder Nam Tae-Hee, new recruit Edmilson, Lucas Mendes, wily forward Almoez Ali and young Bassam al-Rawi.
Al Rayyan are without their Moroccan spearhead Abderrazaq Hamdallah through injury. New recruit, Argentinian striker Jonathan Menendez, is a doubtful starter as he awaits his papers from former club Independiente.
However, they have Rodrigo Tabata, Sebastian Soria, Khalfan Ibrahim, Abdulrahman al-Harazi, Daniel Goumou, Gonzalo Vieira and South Korean Koh Myong-Jin.
Al Sadd, Al Gharafa set
for thrilling clash
Al Sadd, who had to be content with only the season-opening Sheikh Jassim Cup triumph last season, will definitely be hungry for more success, so their home encounter with Al Gharafa in Week 3 of the QNB Stars League is sure to be a thriller. The match will kick off at the Al Sadd Stadium at 5:25pm on Sunday.
Al Sadd are the side with most Qatar League titles (13) and Al Gharafa, who managed to finish fourth last season, do not lag behind when it comes to history, tradition and performance. Al Sadd are in great form and top the QNB Stars League table ahead of Al Duhail on goal difference.
They both have six points, but The Wolves enjoy a goal difference of +15 compared to The Red Knights' +9. Both teams are coming off victories. Al Sadd defeated Al Arabi 10-1, while Al Gharafa beat Al Sailiya 2-1.
The Cheetahs thus made up for their loss to Qatar SC in the first round and are placed seventh in the table. Al Sadd famously boast players such as Xavi Hernandez, Gabi, Baghdad Bounedjah, Akram Afif, Hassan al-Haydous and Ali Asad.
Bounedjah is the 2018-19 QNB Stars League's top scorer with 10 goals. The Algerian ace netted a hat-trick in their 6-0 win over Al Kharaitiyat and followed it up with a seven-goal effort against Al Arabi.
Al Gharafa have the likes of Wesley Sneijder, a FIFA World Cup runner-up with the Netherlands, Mehdi Taremi, Vladimir Weiss, Diego Amado and Ahmed Alaaeldin.
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