QNB Stars League: Al-Sadd defeat Al-Ahli to lift league title

Al-Sadd won the 2018-19 QNB Stars League title after a 7-2 win over Al-Ahli in the Round 21 game played at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium on Thursday.

The win gave Al-Sadd an unassailable tally of 54 points, with one game remaining in the league. This is the 14th league title in the club’s history and 69th title overall.

Baghdad Bounedjah gave Al-Sadd the lead from the penalty spot in the 5th minute, after he was brought down in the box by Al-Ahli keeper Evanildo.

In the 24th minute, Hassan Al-Haydos was set up by a through ball from Xavi; the striker had two attempts and scored with the second to give Al-Sadd a 2-0 lead. At the end of the first half, Bounedjah scored again to make it 3-0.

Al-Sadd returned to the pitch for the second half with the same intensity and Akram Afif scored their fourth goal in the 53rd minute after some brilliant dribbling.

Head coach Jesualdo Ferreira then made two changes, with Ali Asad and Hamed Ismail replacing Xavi and Yasir Abubakar.

Al-Ahli pulled a goal back in the 70th minute through captain Nigel de Jong’s header, before Al-Haydos scored Al-Sadd’s fifth in the 74th minute from the penalty spot.

In the 78th minute, Al-Ahli striker Abdulrashid Ibrahim scored Al-Ahli’s second. Just a couple of minutes later, Bounedjah completed his hat-trick with a fierce shot from the edge of the box.

In the final minute of added time, Jung Woo-young curled a low free-kick around the wall and past the Al-Ahli keeper to complete the 7-2 win.

MATCH DETAILS

Al-Sadd x Al-Ahli (QNB Stars League Round 21)

Venue:

Jassim bin Hamad Stadium

Lineups:

Al-Sadd: Meshaal Barsham, Pedro Miguel, Khoukhi Boualem, Tareq Salman, Yasir Abubakar, Gabi, Jung Woo-young, Xavi (Ali Asad), Baghdad Bounedjah, Akram Afif, Hassan Al-Haydos

Al-Ahli: Evanildo Rodrigues, John Carlos, Mohcine Motouali, Omid Ebrahimi, Nigel de Jong, Ali Qaderi, Meshaal Abdullah (Ali Ferydoon), Mohammed Waad, Abdulrahman Mohammed (Abdulrashid Umaru), Majid Mohammed, Ahmed Suhail

Result:

Al-Sadd won 7-2

Goals:

Baghdad Bounedjah 5′, 45+1′, 81′

Hassan Al-Haydos 24′, 74′

Akram Afif 53′

Nigel De Jong 70′

Abdulrashid Ibrahim 78′

Jung Woo-young 90+3′

Bookings:

Salem Al-Hajri 80′

Referees:

Nayef Al-Qaderi (Main referee)

Khaled Ayed (Linesman)

Ibrahim Al-Dosari (Linesman)

Jamal Hussain (Fourth official)