Al-Sadd defeated Al-Ahli 3-0 in their QNB Stars League Round 16 game which was played at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium on Friday.
This result means that the Wolves maintain their lead at the top of the QNB Stars League table with 44 points from 16 games. Baghdad Bounedjah (23′) and Khoukhi Boualem (26′) gave Al-Sadd a two-goal lead at halftime, while substitute Tarek Salman scored the third (88’) to conclude the scoring.
Al Sadd had a quiet start to the game and did not pose any real danger in the Al Ahli box for the first quarter of an hour.
Gradually, Xavi’s side stepped up and Baghdad Bounedjah succeeded in scoring the first goal in the 23rd minute, pouncing on the ball after Nam Tae-hee’s shot had been deflected, and converting past Al Ahli goalkeeper Yazan Naim.
Three minutes later, Khoukhi Boualem headed in the Wolves’ second goal following Santi Cazorla’s perfect delivery from a free-kick.
Al-Sadd went into the tunnel with a 2-0 lead and returned with a desire to score more. However, Al Ahli stood firm and prevented that from happening.
Xavi made his first change in the 60th minute, replacing Yousuf Abdurisag with Ali Asad, who almost had an immediate impact, setting up Rodrigo Tabata with a through ball but the latter’s shot was kept out for a corner.
Further substitutions were made as the second half progressed, with Tarek Salman and Salem Al Hajri coming on in place of Pedro Miguel and Jung Woo-young in the 72nd minute.
As a result of the change, Musaab Khidir moved to the right-back position and he went on to deliver a great cross into the box in the 76th minute, but Ali Asad’s header went just wide.
Finally, in the 88th minute, Al Sadd managed to score their third goal and it came from the substitute Tarek Salman. After a corner sent in by Cazorla, Salem Al Hajri headed the ball towards the far post and Tarek was at the right place to poke the ball past Yazan Naim.
MATCH DETAILS
Al-Sadd x Al-Ahli (2020-21 QNB Stars League Round 16)
Venue:
Jassim bin Hamad Stadium
Lineups:
Al-Sadd: Meshaal Barsham, Pedro Miguel, Jung Woo-young, Nam Tae-hee, Baghdad Bounedjah, Rodrigo Tabata, Guilherme Torres, Boualem Khoukhi, Santi Cazorla, Yousuf Abdurisag (Ali Asad), Musaab Khidir
Al-Ahli: Yazan Naim, Jassim Al-Sharshani (Abdulrahman Battawi), Shane Lowry, Mohammed Al-Naimi, Jassem Mohammed, Mohammed Diame, Omid Ebrahimi, Hazem Shehata (Tamim Mohammed), Nabil El Zhar, Barro Sidiki (Ali Qaderi), Hernan Perez
Result:
Al-Sadd won 3-0
Goals:
Baghdad Bounedjah 23′
Khoukhi Boualem 26′
Tarek Salman 88’
Bookings:
Jung Woo-young 64′
Mohammed Al Naimi 82’
Guilherme 89’
Referees:
Khamis Al-Marri (main referee)
Yousuf Al-Shammari (assistant 1)
Mohammed Abdullah (assistant 2)
Sultan Al-Sharshani (fourth official)
