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Ikoli VictorDohaIn a shocking upset defending champions Al Sadd were handed a 4-3 defeat by the newly-promoted Al Markhiya on the first day of the QNB Stars League 2022-23 season on Monday at the magnificent Al Khalifa International Stadium, one of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 venues.Iraqi international Aymen Hussein scored twice, while former Wolves player Algerian Hamroun Jugurtha was Man-of-the-Match with two assists and a goal on the stroke of halftime to cancel out Al Sadd’s two-goal lead, which was scored by Rodrigo Tabata and Baghdad Bounedjah. With eleven minutes remaining, Qatar’s Ali Said secured the three points for Markhiya, while veteran Spanish player Santi Cazorza scored a consolation goal in the second minute of added time.In the absence of more than 15 players in Qatar’s national team camp preparing for the FIFA World Cup Qatar in November and December 2022, Al Sadd entered the match under Spanish coach Juan Manuel Lillo ‘Juanma.’ After being knocked out earlier in the AFC Champions League, the league champions knew they had to be competitive to retain their title, and Rodrigo Tabata opened the scoring in the fifth minute. The former Qatari international beat goalkeeper Louay Sherif with a trademark free kick from 19 metres. The goal was the Brazilian’s 140th in the league, and his thirty-third for the Wolves after previous stint with Al Rayyan.Al Sadd’s lead was extended after Bounedjah took advantage of a defense splitting pass from Ahmad Al Saeed to slot the ball past the rushing Sherif. That was all it took for Markhiya, led by former Qatari player Abdullah Mubarak, to up their game. Jugurtha, a former Al Sadd player, cut the deficit in half after receiving a pass from Aymen and chesting the ball down to strike the ball past goalkeeper Jehad Mohammad from outside the box. The Wolves goalkeeper’s blunder cost his team the lead just five minutes into the second half when he failed to clear a loose ball, allowing rushing Iraqi striker Aymen to pounce and tie the game at 2-2.With the game tied, both teams threw men forward in search of the game-winning goal, but it was Markhiya and former Al Sadd player Jugurtha who did the damage with a fine cross from the right flank that allowed Aymen to nod the ball into the space between two defenders to make it 3-2.Al Sadd’s woes were compounded a minute later, just as they resumed play, as Ali Said was on hand to score his side’s fourth goal of the game with a calm finish following a through pass from Jugurtha. Sultan Al Kuwari replaced the Algerian in stoppage time after his heroics.The former Arsenal man cut the deficit thanks to Ghanaian international Andre Ayew’s deft touch pass.Al Sadd Coach ‘Juanma,’ who had hoped that some of his new wards would take advantage of the opportunity to play more games, will reconsider as they prepare for their next game against Umm Salal.It’s a dream start in the league for coach Mubarak and Markhiya, and they’ll want to maintain ahead of their next match against Qatar SC.Al Ahli edge Umm Salal 1-0Al Ahli scored a late goal to edge Umm Salal 1-0 at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium for a winning start to the season. Yazan Abdallah Alnaimat scored the winner in 82nd minute after connecting a fine cross from Abdulrasheed Umaru to seal three points for Al Ahi.
