Umm Salal’s Luwrance Quaya and Al Gharafa’s Muath Yahya Al Salemi vie for the ball possession during yesterday’s QNB Stars League Round 16 clash.
Umm Salal yesterday fought back in spectacular fashion to post a 2-1 win over former champions Al Gharafa.
Al Gharafa’s Ahmed Alaaeldin produced two near-goal scoring opportunities in the first 20 minutes of the match. On one occasion, Alaaeldin almost scored from close range by Umm Salal keeper Basel Zaidan palmed the ball away in the 20th minute.
Al Gharafa’s Saied Elhag Eisa was sent off in the 32nd minute by referee Saoud Ali Al Athba who referred to VAR to make his call. Eisa in an effort to clear a loopy cross ended up hitting his spikes on Mahmoud Kamal Almawas’ right leg. Almawas suffered a cut on his right leg.
Moments later Umm Salal’s Ismail Ebrahim Dahqani brought down Mehdi Alireza Taremi with a rough tackle as intense battle for ball possession continued.
A few seconds on Al Gharafa captain Fahid Sattam Al Shammari fired the ball into the net off an indirect free-kick that resulted from the foul on Taremi. The goal was scored in the 39th minute. Just when it seemed the first half would be goalless, Al Shammari found the net with a fast flick into the top of the Umm Salal goal.
In the 68th minute, Almawas produced a header from close range on a loopy cross but AL Gharafa keeper Yousof Hassan Ali palmed the ball away with a slick save.
Umm Salal struck back in the space of seven minutes to score two goals. Dheyab Hassan Al Inabi produced the equaliser in the 72nd minute and then Anderson Benedito fired the winner in the 70th minute as Umm Salal turned the game in their favour in spectacular fashion.
