Al Duhail Thrashes Al Arabi 8-1; Al Wakrah Fights Back for Draw

Al Duhail delivered an emphatic performance, defeating Al Arabi 8-1, while Al Wakrah staged a remarkable comeback to secure a 2-2 draw against defending champions Al Sadd in the Qatar Stars League (QSL) on October 21, 2023.

The match at Al Thumama Stadium showcased Al Duhail’s dominance as they climbed to fifth place in the standings with seven points, marking their second victory of the season. Strikers Luis Alberto and Adil Boulbina each netted two goals, contributing significantly to the scoreline.

Krzysztof Piatek opened the scoring early in the third minute, directing a powerful header from a cross by Sultan Al Brake. Although Piatek missed a penalty shortly after, the momentum remained with Al Duhail. Al Arabi briefly responded with a goal from Pablo Sarabia in the 23rd minute but soon fell behind again after an own goal by Al Hashmi Al Hussain just three minutes later.

Al Duhail maintained control, with Al Brake scoring a stunning strike from outside the box in the 34th minute, followed by a fourth goal from Alberto just before halftime. The second half continued to favour Al Duhail as Boulbina chipped the goalkeeper in the 51st minute and Alberto scored again on the hour mark, assisted by Boulbina.

The turning point came in the 66th minute when Simo Keddari received a red card after a VAR review, reducing Al Arabi to ten men. Boulbina converted the resulting penalty with ease, completing his brace. Benjamin Bourigeaud capped off the rout with another penalty in the 78th minute.

Reflecting on the match, Al Brake stated, “We played a great match and regained our rhythm, especially in the first half. We controlled the game early and scored four goals. We’re ready to give everything, both locally and in continental competitions.”

Al Wakrah Stages Comeback Against Al Sadd

In a contrasting match at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Al Wakrah managed to equalise against Al Sadd after trailing by two goals. Akram Afif opened the scoring for Al Sadd in the 17th minute, taking advantage of a defensive error, followed by a second goal from Giovani who capitalised on a misplaced pass.

Al Wakrah’s Redouane Berkane missed a penalty early in the second half but quickly redeemed himself. He scored an acrobatic goal in the 50th minute to bring Al Wakrah back into contention. By the 73rd minute, Berkane had equalised with a precise finish from a cross by Fahad Waad Al-Bayati, securing a vital point for his team.

As a result of this draw, Al Sadd remains in sixth place with seven points, while Al Wakrah moves up to fourth with eight points.

Al Shamal and Al Gharafa Share Points

At Khalifa International Stadium, Al Shamal and Al Gharafa battled to a goalless draw. Both teams created opportunities but failed to find the back of the net. Al Shamal goalkeeper Babacar Seck made a notable save against Yacine Brahimi’s attempt in the first half, while Baghdad Bounedjah came close to scoring for Al Gharafa, hitting the post from a rebound.

Following this draw, Al Gharafa remains third in the standings with ten points, level with Qatar SC, who could take the lead if they secure a victory against Al Shahania later today.

The outcomes of the matches are as follows:
QSL Results
Al Shamal 0-0 Al Gharafa
Al Arabi 1-8 Al Duhail
Al Sadd 2-2 Al Wakrah

Upcoming matches include:
Today
Umm Salal vs Al Sailiya at Al Bayt Stadium (18:00)
Qatar SC vs Al Shahania at Khalifa International Stadium (20:00)
Al Ahli vs Al Rayyan at Al Thumama Stadium (20:00)