QSL: Lekhwiya see off Umm Salal in five-goal thriller

Lekhwiya edged Umm Salal 3-2 in a pulsating five-goal encounter of the Qatar Stars League yesterday.
The game finished in favour of the Cops despite the best efforts of Yannick Sagbo and the rest of the Umm Salal team.
 The first half ended with a flurry of goals with three hitting the back of the net in just five minutes. The first was scored by Lekhwiya in the forty-second minute as Yousef Al Arabi got his name on the score sheet for the tenth time this season.
Nam Tae Hee’s free kick was cleared only as far as Lekhwiya’s Chico Flores, who headed the ball into the path of Al Arabi, who scored from close range.
 Just a minute later, Umm Salal’s Ivorian star, Yannick Sagbo, levelled the score after a wonderful assist by Hassan Diab.
The best goal of the game came right on the stroke of half-time in the 47th minute. Nam Tae Hee’s brilliant solo run confounded the Umm Salal backline as he scored a Messi-esque goal. The Korean Maestro twisted and turned his way into the goal going past several opposition players to give his side the lead at the end of the first half.
 In the 61st minute, Umm Salal were rewarded with a penalty. Sagbo stepped up for the spot-kick and scored his second goal of the game
 Djamel Belmadi’s men kept up the pressure on Umm Salal and were rewarded for their efforts in the eighty-first minute with a goal from their captain. Karim Boudiaf scored.
Meanwhile, Al Ahli were only able to manage a draw against league Al Sailiya finishing 3-3.
 Al Ahli, who are still looking for their first win under new head coach Yusef Adam, got off to a dream start when Al Sailiya’s defense was caught sleeping.
Gnuessan Yessoh, found himself in acres of space in the six yard box and able to easily head home from a driving cross to give The Brigadiers an early lead.
Al Sailiya settled after their early lapse in concentration and set about looking for an equaliser. Their pressure paid off and on the 13th minute they were gifted a penalty after Al Ahli’s Ghanaian defender, John Benson, was deemed to have handballed in the box as he tried to defend a looping corner.
The referee was quick to blow for a penalty and Al Sailiya’s Paul Alo’o steeped up and coolly converted from the spot to make it 1-1.
In the 54th minute, Al Ahli’s Congolese forward Ndombe Mubele stabbed home from just a yard out after Al Sailiya’s goalkeeper failed to hold onto a shot.
Then just ten minutes later, Al Ahli made it three after being awarded a penalty for another handball in the box after Muostafa Mohamed deflected a cross with his arm.
Al Ahli’s captain, Meshaal, stepped up and converted the penalty to take his individual goal tally to six this season and put The Brigadiers 3-1 up.
In the 73rd minute, Mudather finished amove with a low shot to make it 3-2. Then exactly ten minutes later Paul Alo’o bagged his second and made it 3-3. Al Ahli’s coach Yusef Adam is left waiting for his first win as both teams left with a point at the final whistle.