Al Sadd stars Abdelkarim Hassan, Akram Afif, Khoukhi Boualem, Pedro Miguel, and Baghdad Bounedjah posing for a photograph with Xavi Hernandez and an official after they were honoured by the club for being selected in Qatar Players Association's Best XI fo
Doha: Reigning champions Al Duhail will be looking to bounce back after going down to points leaders Al Sadd last week, when the action resumes in the QNB Stars League tomorrow.
Al Duhail will visit Qatar SC for their Round 15 clash which kicks off at 7:00pm.
Rest of the fixtures lined up for tomorrow are, Al Wakrah vs Al Rayyan (16:30 at Qatar SC Stadium) and Umm Salal vs Al Arabi (19:00 at Al Duhail Stadium).
On Wednesday, Al Kharaitiyat will meet Al Gharafa (16:30, Al Ahli Stadium), Al Sailiya take on Al Ahli (19:00, Al Ahli Stadium) while high-flying Al Sadd take on Al Khor (19:00, Al Sadd Stadium).
The title-holders' clash, is definitely the hightlight tomorrow, and it pits together two teams from the top-four in the standings.
Qatar SC are fourth in the table with 23 points and Al Duhail second with 27 points. Both teams had lost in the last round, Qatar SC losing 1-2 to Al Rayyan and Al Duhail lost to Al Sadd 1-3.
The results saw Qatar SC slip by one position, but Al Duhail stood second.
Qatar SC, coached by Younes Ali, will be eager to get back to winning ways. The Kings have registered seven wins, two draws and five defeats.
Al Duhail trail Al Sadd by 11 points, so Sabri Lamouchi’s side too will target nothing less than a victory. The Red Knights have recorded nine wins and five defeats.
Al Duhail had beaten Qatar SC 2-1 in the first leg of the League.
Former champions Al Rayyan and Al Wakrah face each other in the opening clash of the week. The kick-off is at 16:30 at the Qatar SC Stadium.
Al Wakrah, coached by Marquez Lopez, are 10th in the table with 14 points.
Al Wakrah and Umm Salal, who had played out a goalless draw in Week 14, have the same number of points, but the latter are placed above on better goal difference (-8, eight goals for and 16 against).
Al Rayyan, under Laurent Blanc, will look to sustain the momentum, having beaten formidable Qatar SC 2-1 in the last round. The Lions improved from sixth to fifth position with that victory. They now have six wins, four draws and as many defeats against their name.
Al Rayyan share the same number of points with Al Ahli (22), but are placed better on goal difference, Al Ahli being on -5 (20 goals for and 25 against).
The third match of the day sees Umm Salal and Al Arabi in action at Al Duhail Stadium with kick off set for 7:00pm.
Umm Salal, who had played out a goalless draw with Al Wakrah in the last round, are placed ninth with 14 points.
Both Umm Salal and Al Wakrah are on 14 points, but the former are placed ahead on better goal difference.
Umm Salal, coached by their former defender Aziz Ben Askar, have registered three victories, five draws and six defeats.
On the other hand, Al Arabi will look to put behind the disappointment of having drawn 1-1 with Al Gharafa through a last-gasp goal in Week 14.
The Dream Team, under Heimir Hallgrimsson, are placed seventh in the QNB Stars League with 19 points.
Meanwhile, the Qatar Players Association (QPA) yesterday honoured Al Sadd stars Abdelkarim Hassan, Akram Afif, Khoukhi Boualem, Pedro Miguel, and Baghdad Bounedjah after they were selected in the Best XI for the 2019/2020 season, as voted by players.
Ibrahim Al Ghanim (vice president, QPA) and Meshaal Mubarak (member, QPA Board of Directors) handed over the awards for the five players before the first team’s training session, in the presence of Al Sadd head of football Mohammed Ghanem Al Ali and coach Xavi Hernandez.
Xavi's men also posed for the official group photograph of Al Sadd.
Al Sadd who are leading the QSL standings with 38 points, 11 ahead of their colosest rivals, will play against Al Khor in their Round 15 fixture on Wednesday.
