Al-Sadd recorded a 4-2 win over Al-Khor in the QNB Stars League Round 20 game which was played on Tuesday at Al-Khor Stadium.
The result meant Al-Sadd increased their points tally to 56 from 20 games, with a postponed fixture against Al-Rayyan yet to be played.
The Wolves began the game strongly and looked to make an early impact. Akram Afif was fouled in the box in the 5th minute and the players appealed for a penalty but the referee decided to continue play.
Jung Woo-young then had a go from distance in the 20th minute but his effort went over the bar.
In the 28th minute, Al-Sadd went a man down after Pedro Miguel was shown the red card for a challenge on Al-Khor’s Moroccan striker Ismail El Haddad just outside the box.
Just four minutes after the sending off, Al-Sadd took the lead. Ali Asad controlled a long ball from Woo-young with ease, before dribbling past El Haddad and finishing coolly with his left foot.
Coach Javi Gracia was then forced into his first substitution in the first half itself, with Rodrigo Tabata coming off with a knock, and he was replaced by Musaab Khidir.
Al-Sadd took the narrow lead into the break but after the restart, Al-Khor struck back. In the 47th minute, Khoukhi Boualem turned in a cross by El Haddad into his own net, as Al-Khor returned to level terms.
The equaliser shook Al-Sadd into action, and the players went looking for a way back into the lead. Ali Asad played in a cross in the 63rd minute, but Andre Ayew’s header was saved by Al-Khor keeper Ali Nader.
Ali Asad was then taken off in the 66th minute for Yousuf Abdurisag, who had an immediate impact just moments later, setting up Santi Cazorla’s shot which took a deflection and went in.
In the very next minute, Al-Sadd scored again. This time, it was Akram Afif, who sent a powerful shot in past Ali Nader, from around 30 yards out, to make it 3-1.
The fourth goal arrived in the 79th minute, with a great effort from Andre Ayew, who did well to get past a defender before tucking in over the keeper.
Al-Khor reduced the deficit with Hareb Al-Saadi’s shot in the 83rd minute, which crept in past Meshaal Barsham, but it would only be a consolation goal as Al-Sadd held on for the 4-2 win.
MATCH DETAILS
Al-Sadd x Al-Khor (QNB Stars League Round 21)
Venue:
Al-Khor Stadium
Lineups:
Al-Sadd: Meshaal Barsham, Pedro Miguel, Abdelkarim Hassan, Jung Woo-young, Ali Asad (Yousuf Abdurisag), Rodrigo Tabata (Musaab Khidir), Akram Afif (Abdulla Al-Yazidi), Khoukhi Boualem, Guilherme Torres, Santi Cazorla (Mohammed Waad), Andre Ayew
Al-Khor: Ali Nader, Dheyab Haroun, Khaled Radwan, Jumua Al-Habsi, Helal Mohammed, Juma Abdulmajid, Giannis Fetfatzidis, Ismail El Haddad, Hareb Al-Saadi, Jaser Yahya, Anas Al Fadhil
Result:
Al-Sadd won 4-2
Goals:
Ali Asad 32’
Khoukhi Boualem 47’ (OG)
Santi Cazorla 68’
Akram Afif 69’
Andre Ayew 79’
Hareb Al-Saadi 83’
Bookings:
Pedro 28’ (RED CARD)
Officials:
Khamees Al-Marri (main referee)
Saoud Ahmed (assistant 1)
Khaled Ayed (assistant 2)
Hussain Al-Sayed (fourth official)
