Al-Sadd see off Al-Shahaniya 4-0 to maintain top spot

Al-Sadd returned to the top of the QNB Stars League table after racking up a 4-0 victory over Al-Shahaniya in the Round 4 game played at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium on Sunday. The result means that Al-Sadd currently have 10 points from four games, with three wins and a draw.

League top scorer Baghdad Bounedjah opened the scoring in the 3rd minute before Akram Afif doubled the lead for the Wolves in the 8th minute. Khoukhi Boualem got the third goal in the 14th minute, while Afif returned to net his second of the game in the 40th minute to round off the scoring.

Jesualdo Ferreira’s men began the game brightly and Bounedjah kept up his scoring form by finding the target in the third minute itself. Xavi sent in a cross from the left and Bounedjah powered home a header past Al-Shahaniya goalkeeper Khalifa Al-Dosari to break the deadlock and score his 11th goal of the season.

The Wolves got a second goal soon after, when Afif struck in the 8th minute. The youngster was the first to react and slot home the rebound after Hassan Al-Haydos’s shot was parried by the keeper. Boualem then got to the end of Xavi’s corner in the 14th minute to head home Al-Sadd’s third goal.

Al-Sadd kept up their domination as the first half progressed, passing the ball around well while Afif, Al-Haydos, Hamid and Abdelkarim made good runs on the wings.

Five minutes before halftime, Afif got his brace. After a fine exchange of passes with Bounedjah, Afif advanced on goal and sent a powerful shot which went in off the keeper to make it 4-0.

The second half was a lot different from the first, with little action at either end. Al-Shahaniya had a great chance to reduce the deficit in the 59th minute, but Saad Hussain’s shot flew over Meshaal Barsham’s crossbar.

Ferreira sent on Ali Asad in place of Hassan Al-Haydos in the 63rd minute before making his second change by bringing on Yasir Abubakar in place of Abdelkarim Hassan.

Afif got a couple of chances to complete his hat-trick late on but he was unable to score and the match went on with a 4-0 win for Al-Sadd.

MATCH DETAILS

Al-Sadd x Al-Shahaniya (QNB Stars League Round 4)

Venue:

Jassim bin Hamad Stadium

Lineups:

Al-Sadd: Meshaal Barsham, Pedro Miguel, Khoukhi Boualem, Hamid Ismail, Abdelkarim Hassan (Yasir Abubakar), Salem Al-Hajri, Gabi, Xavi (Ahmed Sayyar), Hassan Al-Haydos (Ali Asad), Akram Afif, Baghdad Bounedjah

Al-Shahaniya: Khalifa Al-Dosari, Alvaro Mejia, Mustafa Jalal, Kesse Mangoua, Claudio Vasquez, Reza Shanbeh, Saoud Al-Khalaqi (Sultan Al-Kuwari), Saad Husain, Abdulhameed Anad (Mesaad Al-Hamad), Younes Yaqoub, Yousuf Hani

Result:

Al-Sadd won 4-0

Goals:

Baghdad Bounedjah 3′

Akram Afif 8′, 40′

Khoukhi Boualem 14′

Referees:

Abdulaziz Mousa (Main referee)

Yousuf Al-Shammari (Linesman)

Mohammed Abdulaziz (Linesman)

Abdullah Anas (Fourth official)

Nayef Al-Qadri (Additional referee)

Abdulhadi Al-Ruwaili (Additional referee)