Action from the QNB Stars League match between Al Ahli and Al Arabi at Grand Hamad Stadium, yesterday.
DOHA: Al Ahli yesterday eased past Al Arabi at Grand Hamad Stadium, posting a comfortable 3-0 win in round 9 of the QNB Stars League.
For the winners, Ali Ahmad Ghaderi (5), Nigel De Jong (22, penalty) and Mohsine Moutaouali (37) struck goals in the first half as Al Ahli produced their fourth win of the season.
Al Arabi could not add to their four wins so far in the season.
Al Ahli opened the scoring the 5th minute. After receiving a cross from Omid Amir, Ghaderi produced a neat yet powerful deflection from inside the Al Arabi box to send the ball into the net.
Ghaderi right-footed the ball past goalkeeper Abdulnaser Al-Abbasi as Al Ahli went 1-0 early in the clash on a soggy pitch.
It was Ghaderi’s first goal of the season.
In another first for the season, De Jong found the net for the first time for his new team just a few minutes later.
Al Arabi’s Mohammad Mesleh brought down Magid Hassan with a reckless tackle inside his own box. Referee Nayef Mohamed Al-Kadiri promptly pointed to the spot kick and De Jong easily scored from the penalty.
It was De Jong’s first goal for Al Ahli. In the 36th minute, Moutaouali charged into the Al Arabi box and as Al Arabi keeper moved out of his position, the Al Ahli stalwart moved to the right and flicked the ball into the net for his side’s third goal.
In the 84th minute, Moutaouali fired a bullet from long range but his powerful shot narrowly missed the target.
Neither team could score in the second half. In another match, Umm Salal yesterday produced a late equaliser to share points with Qatar SC in a game played on a wet pitch at Al Gharafa Stadium.
Ismail Dahqani found the net in injury time (90 + 4) for Umm Salal off an indirect free-kick. It was Umm Salal’s second draw of the season.
Earlier Sandro Ferreira Nascimento, Qatar SC’s Brazilian overseas import, found the net in the 78th minute with a header off a corner kick.
Sandro, the Brazilian midfielder, jumped high but despite his back facing the Umm Salal goal, he headed home with relative ease.
In the dying seconds of the match, Dahqani, stationed inside the Qatar SC box, made the most of a defensive lapse from Qatar SC to drive the ball with his left-foot in injury time.
The goal left Qatar SC coach former Argentine national team manager Sergio Batista fuming as Umm Salal picked up a point from the tough clash.
It was Dahqani’s first goal of the season as Qatar SC failed to add to their two wins this season.
In what turned out to be an intense battle for ball possession for most part of the clash, Qatar SC got four corners while Umm Salal managed two more than their rivals.
Qatar SC enjoyed 52 percent of the ball possession while Umm Salal - in what was a feisty contest - were stopped for 16 fouls against their rivals.
Meanwhile, football giants Al Rayyan and Al Gharafa yesterday played out an entertaining 1-1 draw at Jassim Bin Stadium.
Al Rayyan scored the first goal through Rodrigo Tabata (67) but Al Gharafa equalised when Diego Amado found the net in the 83rd minute.
Al Rayyan opened the scoring in the 67th minute when Tabata converted an easy penalty. Tabata shot the ball straight into the net with keeper Ali diving to his left.
In the 76th minute, Al Gharafa coach benched Weiss and brought in Moayad Hassan Fedaily.
Just as Al Rayyan thought they might walk away with three points Al Gharafa equalised through Amado in the 83rd minute.
