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Iraqi star Ali’s brace sees QSC down Al Gharafa 3-1 for their first opening day QSL win since 2010
Ikoli Victor
Doha
Hussein Ali scored twice on his debut as Qatar Sports Club recorded a 3-1 victory over Al Gharafa on Match Day 1 of the QNB Stars League on Saturday. The match was played under 24 degrees celcius at the air-conditioned Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium.
The 21-year-old Iraqi, who signed from Al Zawraa, has been likened to Lionel Messi by the Iraqi media since his exploits at the last Gulf Cup of Nations.
Qatar SC managed to record a single shot on target in the first period, but the Abdulla Mubarak (only Qatari coach in the league) ward improved after the break and made the breakthrough in the 52nd minute when Ali AWad fired home from close range, before Hussein netted the second and Gharafa's Iranian World Cup player Mehdi Taremi cut the deficit with three minutes remaining in the game.
Hussein, however, had the final say with a well-taken strike for a brace and Qatar SC's third in stoppage time.
The victory was Qatar SC's first on the opening day of the season since 2010, while for Gharafa it is the fourth year in a row since they last won an opening day fixture.
Gharafa coach Christian Gourcuff started his best eleven which included Wesley Sneijder and returnee Vladimir Weiss.
The first-half chance of the match arrived in the sixth minute when Weiss found Abdelaziz Hatem inside the Qatar SC box, but goalkeeper Jassim was on hand to make the block.
A pass from Sneijder allowed Taremi to chest the ball before unleashing a strike from inside the box in the 10th minute of action, but the Iranian's effort was wide of the post as both teams looked to settle.
Against the run of play, Qatar SC had a break from Osama Omari who released unmarked Hussain Ali; he squeezed past his markers before unleashing a shot that was parried for a corner by keeper Youssef Ali.
Gharafa had a chance to take the lead in the 21st minute when a strike from Taremi rolled across the face of goal for Diogo Amado, but the midfielder missed with the slightest of touch from close range after some dodgy work from Qatar SC in the defence.
The pressure was on Qatar as they defended with keeper Jassim making a daring move to thwart Ahmed Alaaedin and Sneijder effort inside the box in the half-hour mark.
Qatar SC midfielder general from Syria, Omari had a one-on-one-chance for Qatar SC just past the 30-minute mark, but his shot was direct at Yousof Ali to deny the impressive player.
Qatar SC was impressive in the opening minutes of the break as they dominated possession in the early stages of the second period as Ali and Omari started to find each other in the final third.
Qatar SC made the breakthrough seven minutes into the second half when Omari's pass found Ali Awad, whose extra touch made the keeper swipe at thin air as he took the ball round him. Ali missed a golden chance score to score his second with the keeper at his mercy, with a low shot that was stopped.
Hussein Ali made it 2-0 when he collected a through pass from Omari to direct the ball past the rushing Cheetahs custodian in the 70th minute.
With three minutes still to play, Taremi reduced the deficit with a thumping header but Hussein Ali scored his second of the game with a cracking shot after another Omari assisted pass in stoppage time.
At the Khalifa International Stadium, Al Arabi pipped Al Khor 1-0.
In the third and final match of the day, also played at the Khalifa International Stadium, Abdulqadir Ilyas lived up to his high-profile transfer to his former club as he scored a a brace for Al Sailiya to defeat Umm Salal 2-1.
The striker's stoppage first-half goal was canceled by Yannick Sagbo in the 81st minute but the Qatari made the difference with his second of the game in the fourth minute of added time.
