(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Al Sadd staved off a spirited challenge from Al Rayyan 4-2 in the QNB Stars League's Qatar Clasico at the Khalifa International Stadium on Wednesday
Hassan al-Haydos (fourth minute), Baghdad Bounedjah (21st minute), Andre Ayew (24th minute) struck as reigning champions Al Sadd took a 3-0 lead. But Hashem Ali (45+2) and Abdulaziz Hatem's (49th minute) goals put Rayyan back in the contest.
However, Sadd's star forward Akram Afif's 58th minute put an end to Rayyan's hopes in the high-profile encounter. Al Sadd raised their points tally to nine, the same as Al Duhail, who beat Al Gharafa 3-1 yesterday. Al Rayyan, meanwhile, slipped to 10th placed with two points.
Al Sadd got off to a flying start when Tareq Salman – with the ball near the centerline - picked out an unmarked al-Haydos. The Al Sadd star anticipated the cross well and charged ahead with the ball. Al Rayyan keeper Fahad Younis stepped out of his position, but al-Haydos – before Al Rayyan defender Ali Karami could give chase - smartly clipped the ball above his head for his side's first goal. It was al-Haydos' first goal of the new season.
Bounedjah doubled Al Sadd's lead after beating three markers. After receiving a cross from Afif at the centre line, Bounedjah raced towards the Al Rayyan box. He had three markers chasing him including Dame Traore, but the Algerian striker flicked the ball at an acute angle with the greatest of calm.
Ayew joined the scorers' list with a left-footed drive with only Al Rayyan keeper to beat. Al Rayyan pulled one back in the dying seconds of the first half when Al Sadd keeper Barsham ended up giving away a cross to Al Rayyan's Ali, who was lurking just outside the box. Ali wasted little time in lobbing the ball into the net over the head of Barsham.
Five minutes into the second half, Al Rayyan struck again when Hatem deflected a cross from Ali Karami into the top of the net from close range.
Al Sadd star Afif found the net when a cross from Bounedjah got deflected off Al Rayyan's Shojae Khalilzadeh. With the ball within striking range, an unmarked Afif unleashed a left-footed drive that crashed into the net.
Earlier, first-half goal by Almoez Ali (28th minute, penalty) and a double by Abdelrahman Mohammed (54th and 67th minutes) powered Al Duhail to an impressive win against Gharafa at the Khalifa International Stadium. Ahmed Alaaeldin (59th minute, penalty) scored the only goal for Al Gharafa.
Al Duhail's Ismail Mohammed had little open space to work with following a surge from the left flank, but his shot from inside the Al Gharafa box went sailing past the goalpost to the keeper's left.
Al Gharafa's Mehdi Tahrat, following a short dribble past an Al Duhail player, reached the edge of the box and then fired a shot at the goal. Al Duhail keeper Salah Zakaria stayed low to pouch the ball and spike the threatening move in the 21st minute.
In the 23rd minute, drama unfolded as a goal by Al Gharafa was disallowed, but Al Duhail scored one a few seconds later. Sofiane Hanni – following a cross from Nasser Al Ahrak - fired a long-range shot that crashed into the Al Duhail net. But the referee – instead of allowing the goal – stopped play to seek VAR assistance to check on a possible hand ball infringement just a few seconds earlier inside the Al Gharafa box by Ahmed Alaaeldin.
Referee Salman Falahi – after a quick VAR review – ruled a penalty in favour of Al Duhail and star striker Almoez easily converted it. A few seconds later, Alaaeldin fired a bullet from the edge of the box, but the Al Duhail goalkeeper blocked the shot. Nine minutes into the second half, Al Duhail doubled their lead. An unmarked Abdelrahman clipped the ball into an empty net from close range following a cross from al-Ahrak from the touchline after a solo run from the flank.
After the second goal, Luiz Martin brought down Othman al-Yahri with a tackle just inside the Al Duhail box and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Alaaeldin easily converted the penalty kick a minute short of the hour-mark. Abdelrahman then added the third goal for Al Duhail deflecting an easy ball into the open net following a cross from Ferjani Sassi.
Meanwhile, Al Wakrah defeated Al Khor 2-1. Mohamed Benyettou (24 th minute) and Gelson Dalla (45+3) scored for Al Wakrah, who now have four points as they registered their first victory this season. Saeed Brahmi (90+3) pulled one back for Al Khor.
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