Al Sadd will aim to maintain their winning streak against Al Ahli.
Doha, Qatar: Al Sadd endured a shaky start by their standards to their Qatar Stars League (QSL) title defence, losing three of their first seven matches at the beginning of the season.
Defeats to Qatar SC, Al Shahania and Al Arabi pushed the Wolves down the standings early on, raising questions over their title credentials.
However, Al Sadd responded strongly to the setback and have since mounted an impressive comeback in the league. Following their 3-1 defeat to Al Arabi in October, the Wolves have not looked back, stringing together five consecutive victories to firmly re-enter the title race.
Currently under the guidance of coach Roberto Mancini, Al Sadd sit second in the standings with 23 points from 12 matches, level with Al Rayyan and five points behind leaders Al Gharafa.
Their revival has injected fresh excitement into the title chase as the competition heads into a crucial phase.
Al Sadd began the second half of the season by avenging their earlier defeat to Qatar SC last week, a result that also increased pressure on Pedro Martins’ Al Gharafa as the Wolves keep a close eye on a successive top-flight crown.
“We are on the right path. We are working hard in training and matches to continue achieving victories,” Al Sadd goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham said after the win over Qatar SC.
As the next round of QSL fixtures gets underway tomorrow, the spotlight will be firmly on the leading contenders, all eager to pick up valuable points in the increasingly tight title race.
Al Sadd will host Al Ahli at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Friday, aiming to maintain their winning momentum and further close the gap on
Al Gharafa. Al Ahli, meanwhile, have struggled for consistency this season and currently sit ninth with 15 points.
Tomorrow sees league leaders Al Gharafa, fresh from a victory over Umm Salal, face a tough challenge against Al Arabi. The latter are fifth with 20 points, just one behind Al Shamal, and will come into the match buoyed by a win over Al Wakrah.
“This is Al Gharafa, and we will keep pushing to achieve our goal of winning the league,” said Jamal Hamed, who scored a brace in Al Gharafa’s win over Umm Salal.
In another match tomorrow, Al Duhail and Al Wakrah, both level on 16 points, will be desperate to secure maximum points after setbacks in the previous round. Al Duhail were held by Al Shahania, while Al Wakrah fell to Al Arabi.
One of the standout fixtures of the round will see Al Rayyan face Al Shamal at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on Saturday.
Al Rayyan will be seeking revenge for their 4-2 defeat to Al Shamal in the first half of the season.
Qatar SC, who have slipped to sixth with 17 points, will aim to bounce back when they meet Al Sailiya on Saturday.
The Peregrines are 11th with eight points, just ahead of Al Shahania on goal difference, with Al Shahania set to face Umm Salal on Friday.
