DOHA: Al Sadd yesterday beat El Jaish 3-1 to go five points clear in the Qatar Stars League (QSL) standings.
In other games yesterday, Al Sailiyah beat Al Arabi 2-1 while Al Shamal and Al Shahaniya match ended in a 1-1 draw. In the fourth match of the evening, Umm Salal and hosts Qatar SC failed to score in a 0-0 draw.
Al Sadd yesterday welcomed El Jaish to the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium for what was sure to be an intriguing clash.
Before the game El Jaish’s officials talked about the need to win the match if they still had intentions of winning the QSL title.
The first five minutes were a nervy affair with neither side managing to get into their rhythm. The game had a fast tempo and the first attack on goal came from a cross from the left for El Jaish.
Left back Ali Sanad went to cross but the ball took a wicked deflection off a Wolves defender before landing on the roof of the net.
In the first 20 minutes, there was plenty of possession but not with any real intent as neither side registered a single shot on target.
The first attack on target came in the 25th minute when from a Rodrigo Tabata free kick delivery into the box. Korean central defender Jung Soo Lee rose high and headed a good effort at the goal but El Jaish keeper was positioned well to gather it up.
Later in the half, Lee made a bad tackle in the 43rd minute and received his fourth yellow of the campaign and will be suspended for round 13.
In the second half, the goals finally arrived - the first on the 59th minute, courtesy of a close-range Tabata strike, which took a deflection and nestled into the bottom right corner of the El Jaish goal.
Then just two minutes later, the Wolves doubled their lead when Hassan Al Haydoos was brought down on the edge of the box as the El Jaish keeper Abunora mis-judged his clearance, committing the infringement.
The referee pointed to the spot and Al Haydoos obliged with a composed effort into the bottom left corner.
In the 76th Abdul Kareem came close for the Wolves when a quick one-two saw him surge into the box but keeper Abunora stayed on his feet and saved well from close range.
Then to kill the game off the little Brazilian maestro made it goal number 3 for the Wolves with a fantastic effort in the 81st minute. The free kick went up and over the wall and the keeper was rooted to the spot as the ball glided past everyone.
In the 85th minute, El Jaish defender Lucas Mendes managed to save some pride for the Soldiers with a powerful header from a corner to make it 3-1.
The result means there is now an 11-point gap between El Jaish and Al Sadd and it looks as if the soldiers may struggle to keep up with the Wolves this season.
THE PENINSULA
