Coach Xavi Hernandez applauds after Al Sadd won their QNB Stars League match against Al Arabi on Sunday.
Doha: Al Sadd coach Xavi Hernandez has expressed delight after watching his team demolish Al Arabi in a Round 6 match of the Qatar Stars League on Sunday.
The five-goal thriller helped Al Sadd go top of the points table after Baghdad Bounedjah (12th minute), Santiago Cazorla (30th), Abdelkarim Hassan (61st) and Rodrigo Tabata (81st) scored the goals for the Wolves.
Icelandic star Aron Gunnarsson scored the only goal for Al Arabi off a deflected free-kick in the 74th minute.
“We played a special game in the Doha Derby. It was an excellent performance and it was possible to score more goals. We must continue in this way; we’re in a great moment,” Xavi, who ended his career with Al Sadd, said after the Round 6 clash at Grand Hamad Stadium.
“Every player is important to us in the team and everyone was up to their responsibility and gave a wonderful level. We got three important points against a team that defended in a good way and we also missed many chances,” the Barcelona legend added.
“I am very happy to win this game and return to the top of the league,” Xavi said with a smile.
Key Al Sadd defender Abdul Karim Hassan said beating Al Arabi was ‘not that difficult’.
The 2018 Asian Player of the Year scored a goal in Al Sadd’s 4-1 victory.
“We won with the least effort and this is a good thing for us, especially since many of the players were coming from international duty with their national team,” Hassan said. When asked about the upcoming confrontation with Al Arabi in the final of the Amir’s Cup, Hassan said: “The situation is different and the Amir Cup matches are completely different. We we must make efforts to avoid surprises.”
In a response to a question about Al Duhail who lost in the same round with a defeat on Sunday against Al Gharafa, Hassan said: “Al Duhail is a big club, regardless of the fact that the team is going through a difficult period now, but Al Duhail provide “spice” to the league.”
In Round 7, Al Sadd take on Umm Salal at Al Gharafa Stadium on November 27.
