(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Al Gharafa extended their impressive winning run and tightened their grip on the Qatar Stars League summit with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Al Wakrah at Thani bin Jassim Stadium yesterday.
Yacine Brahimi's 34th-minute penalty proved the difference in a tense encounter in which Al Wakrah pushed relentlessly for an equaliser but failed to break through. The win marked Al Gharafa's fifth consecutive league triumph and ensured the Cheetahs will finish the first half of the season in first place – a feat they have not achieved in more than 15 years.
The victory lifted Al Gharafa to 25 points, widening the gap over second-placed Al Shamal, while Al Wakrah remain stuck on 15 points with their fifth position under threat as the round concludes. The defeat also halted Wakrah's small unbeaten spell, which had included a draw and a win.
Meanwhile, at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, Al Ahli rallied to defeat Al Duhail 3-2 in a pulsating contest. Al Duhail struck early through Luis Alberto in the second minute after a precise cross from Sultan al-Brake. But defensive lapses proved costly, beginning with Omar Seko capitalising on a mistake to level for Al Ahli in the 17th minute.
Edmilson Junior restored Al Duhail's lead with a fierce left-footer in the 34th minute, only for Michel Vlap to punish another defensive error and make it 2–2 just two minutes later. Al Ahli carried their momentum into the second half, and Idriss Fettouhi completed the comeback in the 80th minute with a composed finish from inside the box. Despite going down to ten men after Jassim Mohammed's 85th-minute dismissal, Al Ahli held firm.
Al Duhail squandered a golden chance to rescue a point when Edmilson Junior's stoppage-time penalty was saved by goalkeeper Marwan Sharif. The victory lifted Al Ahli to 12 points, level with Al Duhail, as the race for mid-table positions continues to tighten.

MENAFN21112025000067011011ID1110381384