Action from the QSL match between Al Arabi and Al Kharaitiyat at Al Khor Stadium yesterday.
DOHA: Goals by Boualem Khouki and Ahmed Khalfan yesterday powered Al Arabi to a convincing 2-1 win against Al Kharaitiyat, their second of the Qatar Stars League (QSL) season.
Both goals came in the first half with Khouki scoring in the 5th minute followed by a slicked move from Khalfan as Al Arabi picked up three points.
Al Kharaitiyat’s Jarralah Al Marri reduced the deficit in the 87th minute when he fired home off an indirect corner kick.
Bristling with confidence, Al Arabi’s captain Khouki helped the boys in red draw first blood with a well-taken header that sailed past Al Kharaitiyat goalkeeper Ahmed Sofyan Abonora.
Quick-footed Khouki - returning from national duty after a couple of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches - headed home on a corner kick from close range to give Al Arabi a 1-0 cushion in just the 5th minute of the clash at Al Khor Stadium.
Khalfan made it 2-0 in the 31st minute. Khalfan - lurking to the edge of the Al Kharaitiyat box - picked up a long ball from the centre of the field and slipped past goalkeeper Sofiyan who had charged out of his position. With ball at his feet and the goalkeeper embarrassingly out of position, Khalfan charged into Al Kharaitiyat box and tapped the ball past defender Domingos Nascimento Santos to give the visitors their second goal soon after the half-hour mark.
Four minutes from the first-half whistle, Al Kharatiyat’s Abdelmoula Berrabah curled in a beautifully-taken free-kick but Al Arabi goalkeeper Rajab Hamza Kassim punched away the ball in a slick save close to the goalline.
A couple of minutes into the second and Al Kharaitiyat’s Loteteka Bokilla was booked for a rough tackle on Al Arabi skipper and striker Khoukhi.
At the one-hour mark, Bokilla volleyed the ball from close range but his shot missed the Al Arabi goalpost by a narrow margin much to the frustration of the Congolese forward.
When Paartalu Endel Erik opted for a long-range missile from 20 yards out in the 82nd minute, the failed attempted pretty much summed up Al Kharaitiyat’s edgy performance in round three of QSL.
In the second match yesterday, Al Ahli and Al Wakrah shared points in an one-all draw.
Mohsine Moutaouali gave Al Wakrah the lead in the 69th minute. A minute later, Al Ahli equalised with Ndombe Mubele finding the back of the net.
Today, Lekhwiya take on Al Sadd in the match of the week at Lekhwiya Stadium.
