DOHA: Qatar Stars League (QSL) giants Al Sadd yesterday crushed Al Wakra 3-1 to pick up three key points, giving their fans hopes of another title win with only four matches remaining.
Al Sadd owed gratitude to Abdulkareem Hassan (20), Raul (40 +3) and Younis Mahmood (62) as the Doha giants dominated play at Al Wakra Stadium.
For the home team, the deficit was reduced by Ali Arahima in injury time (90 + 3).
Leaders Al Sadd now have a tally of 43 points from 18 matches.
Defending champions Lekhwiya have 39 points whereas third-placed Eljaish have 34 points.
In fourth place are Diego Aguirre’s Al Rayyan with a tally of 33 points.
Coached by Hussein Amute, Al Sadd beat Al Wakra to snap a two-match winless streak.
At no stage of the match did Al Wakra threatened to dominate their experienced rivals as Al Sadd raced to a 2-0 lead at the end of the first half.
Hassan opened the scoring from a close range strike following an indirect free-kick.
Raul, the former Real Madrid giant, latched on to a lose ball and fired home from close range in the dying seconds of the first half.
In the second half, Mahmood scored for Al Sadd for the first time after an easy deflection from close range. The Iraqi stalwart switched camp from Al Wakra to Al Sadd last month during the transfer window.
Yesterday’s clash was to be played on Saturday but the death on Friday of Ahmed Al Khamis - the Al Wakra football director - caused the postponement by a day.
The next round of QSL matches commence on March 3.
The Peninsula
