DOHA: Last season, Al Arabi had to wait for their third match for the season’s first win. Not so yesterday.
Al Arabi yesterday kicked off the new football season with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Al Khor at the Khalifa International Stadium.
In what was the opening clash of the new QNB Stars League season, Al Khor started the Round 1 clash with quick moves but it was Al Arabi who scored the only goal of the match in the 22nd minute.
Al Arabi’s Colombian striker Franco Arizala headed home from close range to open his tally for the new season.
Al Khor’s Salem Khalifa - in the very first minute - produced a powerful shot from inside the Al Arabi box but the ball bounced off the goalpost. Four minutes later, another attempt at goal by the boys in blue - coached by Adel Salimi - went waste.
Al Khor’s Brazilian striker Diego Da Silva produced a snap-header from close range, but the ball hit the far goalpost and bounced back into play without causing any anguish for Al Arabi backline.
In the 21st minute, Al Arabi’s Brazilian forward Diego Jardel curled in a well-taken free-kick that was palmed away by Al Khor goalkeeper for a corner. Seconds later well-built Colombian striker Arizala put a spectacular finish to an indirect corner kick sending a loopy cross into the Al Khor net with a high jump in the 22nd minute.
It was effectively the new season’s first goal by any player or team.
Eight minutes from the first-half whistle, Al Khor’s Ghareeb Solaka - backing up for his beaten goalkeeper - blocked a shot from Mailson Farias from inside the Al Khor box.
In the 57th minute, Al Arabi’s Arizala hoodwinked three Al Khor defenders before charging into the box. But the Columbian’s carefully-placed shot narrowly missed the Al Khor goalpost.
In the 70th minute, Al Arabi’s Jardel got a yellow card for a reckless tackle on Al Khor’s Ahmed Yasin. In the 80th minute, Al Khor goalkeeper Mohammed Al Bakri charged out of position and blocked a shot by Mohammed Salem of Al Arabi. In the last few minutes, Al Khor’s Ahmed Hassan stepped on Al Arabi goalkeeper Mahmoud Zarayi’s knee to cause a short stoppage in play.
Meanwhile Abdulqadir Ilyas Adam’s winner off the final kick of the match helped Al Sailiya beat Umm Salal 2-1.
Adam scored his first of the two goals of the match in the last minute of the first half at the Khalifa International Stadium where the temperature inside the venue was 22.6 degrees centigrade.
A mistake by goalkeeper Malick allowed Al Sailiya to take 1-0 lead.
Adam, who saw Malick close to the Umm Salal box, flicked a long-range ball over the head of the keeper for the only goal of the first half.
Umm Salal’s star striker Yannick Sagbo produced a late goal in the second half but Al Sailiya were not to be denied of a win, thanks to Adam’s second goal. The seasoned Ivory Coast striker, in the 81st minute, brought Umm Salal level with Al Sailiya by firing one home from close range.
In injury time, Adam flicked the ball into the net off a loopy cross from the wing.
Ghanian George Kwesi of Al Sailiya was booked with a yellow for a reckless tackle.on Ivory Coast’s Yannick Sagbo.
