Al-Sadd were held to a 0-0 draw by Al-Khor, in the QNB Stars League Round 4 game which was played at Al-Khor Stadium on Saturday.
The result means that Al-Sadd increase their points tally to 7 and remain in second place in the league table, with a game in hand. The Wolves will play Al-Duhail next in the postponed Round 3 game on October 21.
The game got off to a calm start at the Al-Khor Stadium with neither side posing much danger early on. Eventually, Al-Sadd settled into their groove and started to show their intent to score. In the 21st minute, Guilherme sent a powerful shot at goal, which was parried by Al-Khor keeper Baba Djibril onto the path of Rodrigo Tabata, who somehow failed to find the target from close range as he shot wide.
Two minutes later, Santi Cazorla fed Mohammed Waad with a great through ball, and the Qatari international finished past the keeper. However, the referee disallowed the goal after a VAR review, as Waad was adjudged to have been offside and the score was back to 0-0.
Cazorla then had a great chance in the 38th minute, when Pedro sent in a low cross from the right; however, the Spaniard’s first-time shot was kept out by Djibril. In the 45th minute, Al-Sadd strung together a great move with quick passes, at the end of which Tabata set up Cazorla with a backheel, but the latter’s shot was deflected away from the box.
The teams went into halftime with the score still goalless, and after the break, Al-Sadd resumed their efforts to find a breakthrough.
In the 57th minute, Xavi made his first change of the game, bringing on Baghdad Bounedjah to take Mohammed Waad’s place up front. The Algerian was involved in a great move in the 64th minute, which saw him set up Al-Haydos who then squared the ball for Santi Cazorla; unfortunately, he was denied by a last-gasp block from Mosaab Abdulmajeed.
Xavi then made a double substitution in the 71st minute, sending on Yousuf Abdurisag and Ahmed Sayyar in place of Al-Haydos and Tabata. Al-Sadd kept up their efforts to score the opening goal, against a stubborn display from the Al-Khor defence and goalkeeper. In the 74th minute, Pedro sent in a great cross from the right, but Djibril was in the right place to grab the ball.
Yousuf Abdurisag then dribbled and got past a defender in the 79th minute, before firing a low shot at goal but once again, Djibril denied Al-Sadd. Moments later, the keeper pulled off a stunning save to keep out Ahmed Sayyar.
In the final minute of stoppage time, Al-Sadd were awarded a free-kick just outside the box, and Cazorla curled the ball over the wall, only to see it saved by Djibril. The referee blew the final whistle moments later, as the teams shared the spoils.
MATCH DETAILS
Al-Sadd x Al-Khor (QNB Stars League Round 4)
Venue:
Al-Khor Stadium
Lineups:
Al-Sadd: Meshaal Barsham, Pedro Miguel, Jung Woo-young, Ahmed Suhail, Musaab Kheder (Khoukhi Boualem), Mohammed Waad (Baghdad Bounedjah), Guilherme, Santi Cazorla, Hassan Al-Haydos (Yousuf Abdurisag), Nam Tae-hee, Rodrigo Tabata (Ahmed Sayyar)
Al-Khor: B. Djibril, Alexander Michel, Mosaab Abdulmajeed, Khalid Radwan, Anas El Fadil, Y. Kobayashi, Mohammed Al Jabri, Hilal Mohammed, Ahmed Al Mohannadi (Abdullah Al Oraimi), Mohammad Al Sayed (Ahmed Reyad), Abdullah Murisi (Said Brahimi)
Result:
0-0
Bookings:
Ahmed Al-Mohannadi 34′
Anas El Fadil 61′
Mohammed Al Jabri 70′
Hassan Al-Haydos 70′
Guilherme 88′
Referees:
Khamees Al-Marri (main referee)
Saoud Ahmed (assistant 1)
Faisal Al-Yafei (assistant 2)
Mohammed Al-Obaidli (fourth official)
