Qatar's Pedro Miguel (left) heads the ball while Russia's Aleksandr Kokorin looks on during their international friendly match played at Al Sadd SC Stadium
Qatar rallied from a goal's deficit yesterday to beat Russia 2-1 in an international friendly at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium. Qatar's goals were scored by Boualem Khoukhi (35, penalty) and Karim Boudiaf (72).
For Russia, Samedov Alxander had given the visitors the lead off a 5th-minute penalty.
In the third minute, Qatar defender Mohammed Musa brought down Russia's Kombarov Dmitry close to the spot kick and Pavel Balaj, the Romanian referee, quickly pointed to the penalty spot.
Alxander easily converted the penalty, slotting the ball past Qatar goalkeeper Saad Al Sheeb's left as the visitors jumped to a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute.
In the 12th minute, Russian captain and goalkeeper Akineev Igor jumped out of his box to thwart a lose Qatari ball as the home team picked up the pieces to put pressure on the visitors.
With Qatar players failing to make inroads into the Russian box, coach Jorge Fossati swiftly did away with his tracksuit jacket in the 17th minute of the clash under lights at Al Sadd Stadium.
In the 20th minute, Russia's Glushakov Denis slipped past a couple of defenders before he launched a fierce drive towards the Qatar goal.
Home defender Ali Assadalla - stationed inside the Qatar box - quickly put in a sliding tackle to stop the ball as the home fans breathed a sigh of relief.
Minutes later the home fans at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium felt collective anguish as Qatar's Ibrahim Majid - the captain - missed a penalty kick, hitting the ball wide of the Russian goalpost.
Russia's Aleksander brought down skipper Magid as a Qatari player was taking a corner kick. Referee Pavel punished the Russian side for aggressive play inside their own box by awarding a penalty to the home side.
Magid shot wide to miss a golden opportunity to score for the home side.
In the 33rd minute, Ali Afif - with only Russian goalkeeper to beat from close range - wasted an easy chance to score.
Afif - the young Belgium-based Qatari striker - fumbled with the ball as goalkeeper Igor charged towards the player.
A minute later, Igor brought down Ahmed Alaa - who was waiting on a loopy ball from the midfield - just a few feet away from the Russian goal-line.
Referee Pavel correctly awarded Qatar their second penalty in the first half and this time Khoukhi easily scored from the spot kick in the 35th minute.
Khoukhi scored with a right-footed shot to the centre of the goal.
Qatar walked off the pitch having enjoyed 52 percent of the ball possession compared to 48 percent of their European opponents.
Striker Rodrigo Tabata, who did not play the first half, was in the thick of things in the second when he was brought down minutes after taking to the pitch.
Tabata won the free kick which was neutralised by Russian defence with ease.
Seconds later, Qatar captain Magid was booked by the referee for elbowing Russia's goal hero Aleksander. In the 52nd minute, Russia's Yuri Gazinskiy smashed a close-range ball towards the Qatari goal but Al Sheeb was quick to pouch the ball with an edgy dive.
Close to the hour-mark, the visitors benched captain and goalkeeper Igor because of an injury. Stanislav Kritsyuk jumped in as the replacement.
In the 72nd minute, Tabata curled in a beautifully-raken corner kick which was deflected in by Boudiaf with a snap-header past goalkeeper Kritsyuk.
Boudiaf, who jumped high in the air, headed from the right side of the box to the centre of the goal.
In the 83rd minute, Qatar's Tabata - assisted by fellow striker Hasan Al Haydos - fired a stinging missile from long range but his shot was blocked by Kritsyuk with a dive to his left.
Four minutes later, Russia's Aleksandr Kokorin failed to score off a penalty kick as Qatar goalkeeper Al Sheeb blocked the shot with a dive.
Qatar now leave for China for their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match on November 15.
