DOHA: Bottom-placed Al Kharaitiyat yesterday stunned former champions Al Duhail 1-0 in their hotly-contested clash at Al Ahli Stadium. It was only the fifth win for Al Kharaitiyat in 21 rounds. The goal hero was captain Mohammed Salam who produced a spectacular header for the only goal of the match.
In the second minute, Al Duhail’s Murad Naji Hussain aimed at the Al Kharaitiyat goal from the edge of the box but his shot was blocked by a defender following a cross by Hazem Ahmed. Five minutes later, Ahmed also managed to get into the Al Kharaitiyat box but his shot from close range was also blocked.
Al Duhail’s feared striker Youssef El Arabi – within a space of six minutes – attacked the Al Kharaitiyat box twice (9th minute and 15th minute) but on each occasion he was denied from close range. In the 20th minute, Mohammed Musa Ali – after an assist by Murad Naji – missed the target narrowly.
At the half-hour mark, Al Duhail’s Ahmed Yasser headed the ball on a loopy cross from close but the deflected of the ball missed the target narrowly. Four minutes later, Al Duhail’s Nakajima Shoya was booked for ‘diving’ inside the Al Kharaitiyat box. Seven minutes later, Al Duhail’s Ahmed Yasser was also shown a yellow card by referee Khamis Al Marri.
In the 68th minute, Al Kharaitiyat captain Salam and Al Duhai’s Bassam Al Rawi both were booked for rough football and constant arguments.
In the 77th minute, Al Kharaitiyat stunned Al Duhail. Valentin Lazar clipped a long-range loopy cross towards Salam, the skipper in blue jersey. Salam, with his back facing the net, headed the ball into the top left of the net with a spectacular finish to score his only goal of the season.
Four minutes later, Qatar national team hero and Al Duhail striker Almoez Ali nearly found the net with a close-range flick but the ball was palmed away by Al Kharaitiyat goalkeeper Mustafa Abdul.
