Al-Sadd overcome Lekhwiya
20 Mar 2016
​Al-Sadd registered a crucial result after winning 3-2 over Lekhwiya in the QSL Round 23 game played at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Thursday. The win meant that Al-Sadd climbed to second spot in the league table with 42 points.

It was Al-Sadd who opened the scoring when Hassan Al-Haydos grabbed an early goal in the 5th minute before Karim Boudiaf euqalized for Lekhwiya in the 16th minute. Al-Haydos then returned to make it 2-1 from the penalty spot three minutes before the end of the first half. In the second half, Ismail Mohammed levelled the scores in the 85th minutes but Abdelkarim Hassan had the final say, scoring the winner for Al-Sadd in the 87th minute. Lekhwiya finished the match with ten men after Mohammed Mousa was sent off in the 60th minute.

Al-Sadd begin strongly, Al-Haydos opens the scoring

The match began with Al-Sadd on the front foot and Hassan Al-Haydos did not take long to make an impression on the game. In the 5th minute, Nadir Belhadj sent in a cross from the left which was passed along by Baghdad Bounedjah to the oncoming Al-Haydos who lashed the ball in to make it 1-0.

Karim Boudiaf equalizes for Lekhwiya

Lekhwiya attempted to draw parity immediately launching its own attacks. Karim Boudiaf succeeded in doing so in the 16th minute after good work on the right by Dioko. The pass from the Congolese was finished by Boudiaf to make the score 1-1. Both teams then proceeded to put numbers in midfield; the deadlock remained constant without any real attempts on goal until the 29th minute, when Xavi sent a great free kick over the wall but Lecomte Amine in the Lekhwiya goal put the ball out for a corner.

Both teams go for goal before halftime, Al-Haydos gets the second

The play then returned to a period of calm with neither side getting dangerous shots at goal. This was the state until the final few minutes of the first half when the teams started to go for goal with more urgency. It was Lekhwiya who put heavy pressure on the Saddawi defence but it was the Wolves who managed to score. Al-Sadd were awarded a penalty in the 42nd minute after Bounedjah was brought down in the box. Al-Haydos stepped up to convert the spot kick and finished well to make it 2-1 a couple of minutes before the halftime whistle.

Pressure from Lekhwiya, Khalfan replaces Bounedjah

Lekhwiya started the second half in search of an equalizer and almost did so in the 70th minute but a shot from Ismail Mohammed was kept out brilliantly by Al-Sadd keeper Muhannad Naim. In the 75th minute, Al-Sadd made their first change with Khalfan Ibrahim replacing Bounedjah.

Ismail equalizes for Lekhwiya, Abdelkarim makes it 3-2

In the 85th minute, Ismail Mohammed finally equalized for Lekhwiya after he converted a cross from the right. But parity only lasted for two minutes. Al-Sadd defender Abdelkarim Hassan rose to head a Xavi free kick in past the Lekhwiya keeper Amine to score an important winner.

MATCH DETAILS

Al-Sadd x Lekhwiya – Qatar Stars League Round 23

VENUE:

Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, Al-Sadd Sports Club

LINEUPS:

Al-Sadd: Muhannad Naim, Xavi, Pedro, Abdelkarim Hassan, Ali Asad (Meshaal Al-Shammari), Hassan Al-Haydos, Baghdad Bounedjah (Khalfan Ibrahim), Salem Al-Hajri, Nadir Belhadj, Mohammed Kasola, Musab Khodr.

Lekhwiya: Lecomte Amine, Karim Boudiaf, Mohammed Mousa, Ahmed Yasser, Chico Flores, Nam Tae Hee, Mohammed Abdulla, Alain Dioko, Ali Afif (Mohammed Muntari), Ismail Mohammed, Khalid Muftah

RESULT:

Al-Sadd won 3-2

GOALS:

Hassan Al-Haydos [5th, 42nd (p)] and Abdelkarim Hassan [87th] for Al-Sadd

Karim Boudiaf [16th] and Ismail Mohammed [85th] for Lekhwiya
BOOKINGS:

Mohammed Mousa [28th], [60th] (Red card), Ahmed Yasser [41st] and Mohammed Abdullah [45th] for Lekhwiya

Pedro [77th] for Al-Sadd

REFEREES:

Abdulrahman Abdou (Main referee)

Jumuah Burashid (Linesman)

Yousef Al-Shammari (Linesman)

Khamees Al-Kuwari (Fourth official)

Mohammed Jad (Additional referee)

Mohammed Shabeer (Additional referee)