QNB Stars League: Al-Sadd stay on top with a 7-1 win over Al-Shahaniya

Al-Sadd recorded a 7-1 win over Al-Shahaniya in their QNB Stars League Round 2 game on Saturday, to maintain their spot on top of the table.

Baghdad Bounedjah opened his account for the season by scoring a super-hattrick for the Wolves, while Boualem Khoukhi, Abdelkarim Hassan and Hassan Al-Haydos also got on the scoresheet. Ali Ferydoon got a consolation goal for Al-Shahaniya.

The result gives Al-Sadd a perfect record of two wins out of two games, and ensures top spot with six points ahead of the international break.

In what was the team’s first game after the loss to Al-Nassr in the Champions League, Al-Sadd began well and got off to a good start with Bounedjah netting in the eighth minute. The Algerian striker got his head to Akram Afif’s delivery from a corner, diverting it past the keeper to make it 1-0.

In the 17th minute, Bounedjah doubled Al-Sadd’s advantage. He controlled a pass from Khoukhi Boualem, got past Al-Shahaniya defender Saleh Al-Yahri before finishing with a deft strike.

Khoukhi turned from provider to goalscorer in the 24th minute, when he picked up Al-Haydos’ through ball and sent a powerful shot past Khalifa Al-Dosari to give Al-Sadd 3-0 lead.

Four minutes later, Bounedjah got his hat-trick and Al-Sadd’s fourth goal, after finishing off a pass from Khoukhi. In the 34th minute, Abdelkarim headed in a corner delivered by Akram to make it 5-0.

Just before halftime, Al-Haydos converted a free-kick from the edge of the box to score Al-Sadd’s sixth goal. It was also a landmark goal for the longtime Al-Sadd star, as it was his 100th goal for the club in all competitions.

Xavi made two substitutions as the second half began, bringing on Salem Al-Hajri in place of Abdelkarim and then Ahmed Bader Sayyar in palce of Khoukhi.

After a period of calm, Bounedjah scored his fourth goal in the 70th minute, meeting Pedro’s cross from the right with a first-time strike to make it 7-0 in favour of Al-Sadd.

Five minutes later, Ali Ferydoon pulled a goal back for Al-Shahaniya after controlling a long ball and finishing past Saad Al-Dosari. That made the score 7-1 and that’s how it went on to end, despite Al-Sadd’s efforts to add more goals.

MATCH DETAILS:

Al-Sadd x Al-Shahaniya (QNB Stars League Round 2)

Venue:

Jassim bin Hamad Stadium

Al-Sadd: Saad Al-Dosari, Pedro Miguel, Abdelkarim Hassan (Salem Al-Hajri), Jung Woo-young, Tarek Salman, Ali Asad, Hassan Al-Haydos, Baghdad Bounedjah, Gabi, Khoukhi Boualem (Ahmed Sayyar), Akram Afif (Abdulaziz Al-Ansari)

Al-Shahaniya: Khalifa Al-Dosari, Saleh Al-Yahri, Mustafa Jalal, Alvaro Mejia, Nigel de Jong, Ali Ferydoon, Ramin Rezaeian (Abdelaziz Barrada), Kesse Mangoua, Reza Shanbeh, Hatem Kamal (Abdullah Al-Yazidi), Saad Al-Hussein

Goals:

Baghdad Bounedjah 8′, 17′, 28′, 70′
Khoukhi Boualem 24′
Abdelkarim Hassan 34′
Hassan Al-Haydos 45′
Ali Ferydoon 75′

Bookings:

Alvaro Mejia 43′

Referees:

Khamees Al-Marri (main referee)
Saoud Ahmed (linesman)
Zahi Al-Shammari (linesman)
Mohammed Ahmad (fourth official)