(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Can Al Sailiya shock Al Sadd and prove they are serious contenders for the QNB Stars League title? That's the question doing the rounds as Qatar's premier competition completes the one-third mark with the conclusion of the seventh week of matches today.
Al Sailiya have made a promising start to the tournament with five wins from six matches and are placed third in the standings with 15 points, behind Al Sadd and Al Duhail who are just one point clear at the top.
Al Sadd and Al Duhail are the only unbeaten teams so far and are favoured to win the title. Al Rayyan are always in the mix and, with Al Sailiya too showing good initial promise, the title race promises to be a gripping affair this season.
Al Sadd, coached by Portuguese Jesualdo Ferreira, boast of Spanish stars Xavi Hernandez and Gabi Fernandez, Algerian ace Baghdad Bounedjah, Akram Afif, Ali Asad, Boualem Khoukhi and South Korean midfielder Jung Woo-Young.
The Wolves' Qatar international striker Hassan al-Haydos and goalkeeper Saad al-Sheeb have returned from their injury lay-offs.
Al Sailiya have Rachid Tiberkanine, Abdulqadir Ilyas, Nadir Belhadj and George Kwesi in their ranks.
Tiberkanine, who scored a brace during Al Sailiya's 2-0 victory over Al Arabi, has six goals to his credit.
Al Sailiya coach Sami Trabelsi, speaking at the pre-match Press conference, underlined the fact that it would be a keenly-fought contest.
'We will play the game at the same level as always. It will of course be a keen contest. In football, whoever control the game will win it. And those who fully utilise the chances that come their way will win regardless of statistics and figures, said Trabelsi.
'The match is important for both teams. Al Sadd are a formidable side, no doubt about it. They have some outstanding players and have not lost so far in this season's QNB Stars League, along with Al Sadd.
'We will play the game at the same level as always. It will of course be a keen contest.
'The confrontation with Al Sadd will not be easy even though they had lost in the first leg of their AFC Champions League semi-final against Iran's Persepolis. They know how to take things to their advantage. However, we will not give up easily and will try to collect three points.
In case Al Sailiya win the match, they can go top of the standings but that will also depend on the result of the match between Al Duhail and Umm Salal who will be playing today's first match.
Al Duhail, for sure, will not want to show any let-up as they are behind Al Sadd on goal difference with five wins and a draw each. On the other hand, Umm Salal have 13 points from four wins and a draw. They are coming off a hat-trick of victories, the last being a 1-0 verdict over Al Khor. They had defeated Al Gharafa and Al Kharaitiyat in the previous rounds and Al Ahli in Week 3.
The Orange Fortress have scored 13 goals conceding 12.
Al Duhail had also beaten Al Shahania, Al Kharaitiyat, Qatar SC and Al Gharafa, and drew goalless with Al Rayyan.
Al Duhail, coached by Tunisian Nabil Maaloul, have in their ranks the likes of Moroccan striker Yousef El Arabi, South Korean attacking midfielder Nam Tae-Hee, influential midfielder Karim Boudiaf, Paolo Edmilson, Lucas Mendes, wily forward Almoez Ali and young Bassam al-Rawi.
They will also have the services of Murad Naji, who sat out against Al Ahli as he was serving a red-card suspension he received during their game against Al Gharafa.
Umm Salal, under Frenchman Laurent Banide, are bolstered by the presence of Ivorian striker Yannick Sagbio, Syrian forward Mahmoud al-Mawas and Adil Rhaili.
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