DOHA: The 23rd round of the Qatar Stars League (QSL) is on and the top four teams will come face to face at the end of the week. Whenever the top four of them played against each other, it has always been a treat to watch.
Champions Al Rayyan have come a long way since they started their matches against their top four rivals with a 3-1 victory over former QSL champions Lekhwiya back in round 7. Two late goals from Sergio Garcia and former Lekhwiya man Sebastian Soria gave Rayyan their first major scalp of the season.
Jorge Fossati’s men also left it late against rivals El Jaish to grab all three points in round 10 of the QSL. The match was looking like heading for a 1-1 draw following Hamdullah’s 85th minute equalizer. However the Lions rallied and two minutes later scored a fine winner through Rodrigo Tabata, in what was a big turning point for Al Rayyan.
In December Rayyan faltered to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Al Sadd, but soon got back to winning ways against their top four rivals. The Lions breezed past Lekhwiya 5-0 effectively sealing their status as QSL champions for the first time in 21 years.
Four goals and three assists against the top four mean that summer signing Sergio Garcia is the man to watch of Al Rayyan. Jorge Fossati will be hoping the former Espanyol man can grab a few more goals for the QSL champions, when they take on El Jaish on Sunday evening.
Second placed in the mini league are El Jaish who have registered two wins and two defeats in their games against the top four rivals. A 2-0 round 6 derby win over Lekhwiya set the tone for Jaish, with a quick-fire first half double from Abderrazak Hamdallah enough to secure all three points.
A 2-1 defeat to Rayyan followed in round 10, but Sabri Lamouchi’s side got back to winning ways against top four rivals in round 13. Jaish defeated Al Sadd 4-2 with goals from Romarino, Rashidov and a brace from Hamdallah to push them up to second place in the QSL standings. Jaish’s last game to a top four rival ended with a comprehensive 3-0 defeat to Lekhwiya.
Key Man- Abderrazak Hamdallah has set the QSL on fire this season, and is El Jaish’s main man when it comes to taking on the top four.
Former QSL champions Lekhwiya are third in the top four mini league, registering two wins and three defeats overall. Two early defeats to Al Rayyan (3-1) and El Jaish (2-0) where tempered with a moral boosting 4-2 win against Al Sadd in round 10.
The game looked like it was heading for a 2-2 draw but two goals in six minutes from Chico Flores and Nam Tae Hee gave Djamel Belmadi’s side all three points over their bitter rivals.
Two goals from winter signing Alain Dioko helped Lekhwiya register a 3-0 win over El Jaish. Lekwiya’s last tie against Al Rayyan resulted in a 5-0 humbling at the hands of Al Rayyan.
Key Man- Lekhwiya captain Karim Boudhiaf has been the Red Knights big game player against the top 4 this season.
Al Sadd are currently bottom of the pile this season when facing their top four rivals. So far they have only registered one win.
Apart from this the Wolves have endured two defeats to El Jaish and Lekhiwya losing 4-2 in both games. The Peninsula
DOHA: The 23rd round of the Qatar Stars League (QSL) is on and the top four teams will come face to face at the end of the week. Whenever the top four of them played against each other, it has always been a treat to watch.
Champions Al Rayyan have come a long way since they started their matches against their top four rivals with a 3-1 victory over former QSL champions Lekhwiya back in round 7. Two late goals from Sergio Garcia and former Lekhwiya man Sebastian Soria gave Rayyan their first major scalp of the season.
Jorge Fossati’s men also left it late against rivals El Jaish to grab all three points in round 10 of the QSL. The match was looking like heading for a 1-1 draw following Hamdullah’s 85th minute equalizer. However the Lions rallied and two minutes later scored a fine winner through Rodrigo Tabata, in what was a big turning point for Al Rayyan.
In December Rayyan faltered to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Al Sadd, but soon got back to winning ways against their top four rivals. The Lions breezed past Lekhwiya 5-0 effectively sealing their status as QSL champions for the first time in 21 years.
Four goals and three assists against the top four mean that summer signing Sergio Garcia is the man to watch of Al Rayyan. Jorge Fossati will be hoping the former Espanyol man can grab a few more goals for the QSL champions, when they take on El Jaish on Sunday evening.
Second placed in the mini league are El Jaish who have registered two wins and two defeats in their games against the top four rivals. A 2-0 round 6 derby win over Lekhwiya set the tone for Jaish, with a quick-fire first half double from Abderrazak Hamdallah enough to secure all three points.
A 2-1 defeat to Rayyan followed in round 10, but Sabri Lamouchi’s side got back to winning ways against top four rivals in round 13. Jaish defeated Al Sadd 4-2 with goals from Romarino, Rashidov and a brace from Hamdallah to push them up to second place in the QSL standings. Jaish’s last game to a top four rival ended with a comprehensive 3-0 defeat to Lekhwiya.
Key Man- Abderrazak Hamdallah has set the QSL on fire this season, and is El Jaish’s main man when it comes to taking on the top four.
Former QSL champions Lekhwiya are third in the top four mini league, registering two wins and three defeats overall. Two early defeats to Al Rayyan (3-1) and El Jaish (2-0) where tempered with a moral boosting 4-2 win against Al Sadd in round 10.
The game looked like it was heading for a 2-2 draw but two goals in six minutes from Chico Flores and Nam Tae Hee gave Djamel Belmadi’s side all three points over their bitter rivals.
Two goals from winter signing Alain Dioko helped Lekhwiya register a 3-0 win over El Jaish. Lekwiya’s last tie against Al Rayyan resulted in a 5-0 humbling at the hands of Al Rayyan.
Key Man- Lekhwiya captain Karim Boudhiaf has been the Red Knights big game player against the top 4 this season.
Al Sadd are currently bottom of the pile this season when facing their top four rivals. So far they have only registered one win.
Apart from this the Wolves have endured two defeats to El Jaish and Lekhiwya losing 4-2 in both games. The Peninsula
