Al-Sadd came from behind to record a 2-1 victory against Al-Markhiya, in their Expo Stars League Week 19 clash held at the Grand Hamad Stadium on Sunday.
With this win, Al-Sadd consolidated their position at the top of the table, increasing their tally to 43 points.
The match began with Al-Sadd asserting their dominance, launching several threatening attacks on Al-Markhiya’s goal. Despite their efforts, they struggled to create clear-cut opportunities in the early stages. In the 11th minute, Al-Sadd missed a golden chance to open the scoring after a well-delivered corner kick from Akram Afif found Baghdad Bounedjah, whose shot was expertly saved by Al-Markhiya’s goalkeeper, Omar Barry.
As the first half progressed, Al-Markhiya capitalized on a counterattack opportunity and took the lead in the 25th minute through a goal from Ali Al-Muhannadi. Despite Al-Sadd’s relentless pressure, the first half concluded with Al-Markhiya holding onto their narrow 1-0 advantage.
After the halftime interval, Al-Sadd emerged with renewed vigor, intensifying their offensive efforts. In the 57th minute, Akram delivered a pinpoint cross from the left flank, met by Gonzalo Plata with a powerful shot that narrowly missed the target. Just five minutes later, Paulo Otavio provided another dangerous cross, which Baghdad Bounedjah headed wide of the goal.
Al-Sadd’s persistence paid off in the 67th minute when Akram converted a penalty kick, awarded after Plata was fouled inside the box. The equaliser injected renewed hope and energy into the Al-Sadd camp, setting the stage for a thrilling conclusion to the match.
In the dying moments of the game, Al-Sadd continued to press forward in search of a winning goal. Their persistence ultimately paid dividends in the 90+7th minute when substitute Yousuf Abdurisag chested the ball in from close range, securing all three points for his team.
