Al-Sadd opened their 2021-22 QNB Stars League campaign with a 2-0 win over Al-Sailiya in the Round 1 game which was played at Thani bin Jassim Stadium on Sunday.
Goals from Khoukhi Boualem and Rodrigo Tabata in the first half delivered the three points for the Wolves. The result means Al-Sadd are third in the league table after the end of the first round, tied on points with Al-Duhail and Al-Gharafa, but behind on goal difference.
Al-Sadd started the game on the front foot and threatened early on, with Baghdad Bounedjah’s header coming off the crossbar.
Khoukhi then opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, finishing from inside the box after a squared pass from Baghdad Bounedjah. Ten minutes later, Bounedjah registered another assist, this time setting up Rodrigo Tabata after a quick move also involving Akram Afif. Tabata made no mistake from close range to double the lead.
There would be no more goals in the game with the intensity dropping markedly as the clock ticked on in the second half. Al-Sadd held on for the match points and began their title defence on a winning note.
MATCH DETAILS
Al-Sadd x Al-Rayyan (Amir Cup 2021 final)
Venue:
Al Thumama Stadium
Lineups:
Al-Sadd: Saad Al-Dosari, Pedro Miguel, Jung Woo-young, Hassan Al Haydos (Rodrigo Tabata), Baghdad Bounedjah, Guilherme, Boualem Khoukhi, Tarek Salman, Akram Afif, Andre Ayew (Ali Asad)
Al-Rayyan: Fahad Younis, Shojae Khalilzadeh, Dami Traore, Khaled Muftah, Yacine Brahimi, James Rodriguez, Abdulaziz Hatem, Yohan Boli, Ahmed Yasser, Steven Nzonzi
Result:
1-1 (Al-Sadd won 5-4 on penalties)
Goals:
Yacine Brahimi 44′ (PEN)
Santi Cazorla 58′ (PEN)
Bookings:
Saad Al-Dosari 43′
Tarek Salman 69′
Guilherme Torres 77′
Referees:
Main referee: Abdullah Al-Athba
Assistant referee: Ramzan Al-Ramzani
Assistant referee: Yousuf Al-Shammari
Fourth official: Mohammed Al-Shammari
