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TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK
DOHA
The QNB Stars League will resume on Friday with Week 13 fixtures after a fortnight-long international break that accommodated the QSL Cup's third-round fixtures and the Qatar national team's away frendlies against Switzerland and Iceland ahead of the Asian Cup in the UAE early next year.
Three matches will be played over the weekend.
The fixtures are: Qatar SC vs Al Ahli (16:00) at Qatar SC Stadium, Umm Salal vs Al Rayyan (18:30) at Al Gharafa Stadium and Al Kharaitiyat vs Al Shahania (18:30) at Al Khor Stadium on Friday, Al Sailiya vs Al Gharafa (16:00) at Al Ahli Stadium, Al Khor vs Al Duhail (16:00) at Al Khor Stadium and Al Arabi vs Al Sadd (18:30) at Al Arabi Stadium.
Qatar SC will open the action with a game against in-form Al Ahli, who are having an unbeaten streak of five matches that include four victories.
That will be followed by the Umm Salal vs Al Rayyan and Al Kharaitiyat vs Al Shahania games.
There will be two simultaneous kick-offs on the second match day (Al Sailiya vs Al Gharafa and Al Khor vs Al Duhail), followed by the Al Arabi vs Al Sadd clash.
Qatar SC are 10th in the standings with 11 points, while Al Ahli are fifth with 19 points.
Qatar SC had lost 0-2 to Al Gharafa, whereas Al Ahli held Al Rayyan to a 1-1 draw in the last round.
Umm Salal are seventh with 15 points and Al Rayyan fourth with 22 points. They both did not win in the last round, so they will be keen to be back on the winning path.
Al Kharaitiyat, last with just three points, will face Al Shahania (ninth, 12 points) with nothing less than a victory in mind.
Al Sailiya (22 points) face sixth-placed Al Gharafa (18 points) expecting a positive result which would help them remain in the top-four bracket.
Al Sailiya will be without suspended Moroccan striker Rachid Tiberkanine, while Al Gharafa will be at full strength.
Al Khor, 11th with eight points, face an uphill task against holders and leaders Al Duhail (31 points).
The last fixture of the 13th round is the Qatar Derby between Al Arabi and Al Sadd.
Al Sadd are second with 23 points and Al Arabi eighth with 15 points. The match has much at stake.
