Doha: Al Sailiya keeper Gregory Gomis was the star as Al Sadd slipped to their second defeat in as many games losing 2-1 to a resolute Al Sailiya side in coach Jesualdo Ferreira’s first game for the Wolves.
In the other match, Umm Salal and Al Arabi shared the points in an entertaining 1-1 draw.
Al Sailiya started the tie on the front foot and promptly took the lead courtesy of striker Abdulqadir Llyas. The on loan El Jaish player found plenty of time and space to calmly slot past Wolves stopper Sadd Al Dosari.
Shocked into action, Al Sadd went about looking for an equaliser but where mainly restricted to shots from distance from the well marshalled Al Sailiya backline. However pressure eventually tolled on Sami Trabelsi’s side thanks to the fleet footed Hassan Haydoos.
The Qatari international burst through the Al Sailiya defense on the left hand side and scored with a dinked effort over the oncoming Al Sailiya keeper Gregory Gomis. Despite conceding, Al Sailiya kept on attacking and deservedly took the lead on the stroke of half-time. A well delivered near-post corner was met by the head of Cameroonian Raoul Lowe which nestled into the top left corner of the goal.
The former Osasuna man celebrated wildly and was mobbed by his team-mates. Al Sailiya could of gone into the second half with a two goal cushion had Bahraini international Faouzi Aaish’s effort from distance not just sailed over the crossbar.
Al Sailiya went into the half-time break leading 2-1.
In the second half, Al Sadd ramped up the pressure in their search for an equaliser. In fact they did have the ball in the back of the net on the 61st minute, although Brazilian striker Muriqui was rightly judged offside.
The Brazilian striker was central to Al Sadd’s good work in the second and was bundled over in the 72nd minute. The Brazilian promptly stepped up only for his shot to be saved by Gregory Gomis, much to the delight of his team-mates who mobbed the French born keeper.
Al Sadd coach Jesaldo Ferreira cut a lonely figure in the second half as his side pinned Al Sailiya back for large swathes of the second half.
However Al Sadd where unable to break the Al Sailiya resistance, but came close in the six minutes of injury time at the end of the match.
First, a Xavi free kick was palmed away by Gomis, along with a string of three fantastic saves denying Al Sadd an equaliser.
At the final whistle Gomis ran away in delight, and was duely mobbed by his team-mates. His performance had secured Al Sailiya a vital three points against Al Sadd.
In the second match, both the goals came from the penalty spot.
After a barren first half, both the goals came in the second half.
Umm Salal came into the second half with renewed vigor and on the 47th minute Sagbo spurned a golden opportunity from a few yards out, instead the Ivorian lifted his effort over the bar. Al Arabi found their way back into the tie, with Al Arabi striker Paulinho drawing two good saves in quick succession from Umm Salal stopper Baba Malick.
Gianfranco Zola’s side tookthe lead in the 62nd minute when Arabi midfielder Ahmed Fathi was bundled down in the area by Welington Silva the referee rightly pointed to the spot, Paulinho stepped up to calmly tuck the ball into the bottom left hand corner to score his 8th goal of the season.
Umm Salal where thrown a lifeline in the 75th minute when Yannick Sagbo was pushed in the area, the referee pointed to the spot and Sagbo picked himself up to level the match. That was the Ivorian striker’s ninth goal in eleven QSL games.
After the goal the Orange Fortress grew in confidence, finding space in the final third.
Sagbo was again central to his sides attacking threat and on the 83rd minute his curling effort just went past the post of Al Arabi stopper Rajab Hamza.
Umm Salal pushed hard for the winner, but their efforts where in vein with the match ending 1-1. Umm Salal drop to sixth place in the league, whilst Al Arabi have moved back into the top 4 with the point.
The Peninsula
