Tribune News Network
Doha
A first-half Kristian Nemeth penalty was enough for Al Gharafa to defeat Al Khor 1-0. Al Gharafa certainly didn't enjoy the majority of chances in the game but none the less came away with all three points in a feisty encounter on Friday at Al Gharafa Stadium.
Gharafa took an early lead from the penalty spot when Khor defender Majed Aman was adjudged to have handled the ball in the penalty area.
The referee duly pointed to the penalty spot, and Hungarian striker Kriszti'e1n N`meth stepped up and promptly rifled the ball into the back of the net from twelve yards out.
Khor stepped up as the first half progressed and created three clear-cut chances to draw level. First up Moroccan attacker Mouhcine Iajour saw his point blank header saved by Yousef Hassan on the eighteenth minute.
Two minutes later, Khor's diminutive midfielder Madson saw his curling shot skip just wide of the post.
Jean Fernandez's side ended the first half on the front foot, and could of headed into the break level had Babou Sidiki's snapshot from a tight angle hit the target. The first half ended in favour of the hosts with Al Gharafa taking a 1-0 lead into the second half.
The Knights picked up from where they left off in the first half and after the restart Al Khor could and perhaps should of found a leveller, however Moroccan striker Mouhcine Iajour mistimed his header from a flicked on corner.
On the hour mark, Al Khor pushed ahead on the counter attack with Iajour setting up Madson with a well placed through ball. Racing ahead of the defence the Brazilian had plenty of time to compose himself, however his drilled shot was well saved by Yousef Hassan in the Gharafa goal.
Al Gharafa started to see more of the ball in the second half and on the sixty third minute Hungarian attacker Kristian Nemeth whipped in a perfect cross to Abdulghani Muneer but his headed effort was comfortably saved by Papa Djibril in the Al Khor goal.
Despite Al Khor's efforts they where unable to find their way back into the tie, and dropped into eleventh place in the QSL standings. As for Al Gharafa they remain in fifth place in the QSL standings.
Last-gasp win for Al Sailiya
Al Ahli took on Al Sailiya in round twenty-one of the Qatar Stars League at the Al Ahli Stadium on Friday.
A first half goal by Sailiya, a missed penalty and a goal from each side in the last ten minutes of the game were some of the highlights of the game as Sami Trabelsi's men registered the 2-1 victory.
Al Sailiya's Temurkhuja Abdukholikov scored the first goal of the game just before the halftime whistle in the forty-fifth minute.
The goal came after a Sailiya corner kick came off the head of Al Ahli's Yassin Chikhaoui into the path of the Uzbek striker who hit it on the volley into the goal from a narrow angle.
The second half was full of excitement and controversy as Al Ahli were pushing for the equaliser while Sailiya looked to maintain their lead and a second goal.
Sailiya defender Mohammad Jumaa got himself a red card in the seventy-ninth minute when he cleared the ball off the goal line with his hand.
The resulting penalty was taken by Yassine Chikhaoui whose effort was saved by Gregory Gomis in the Sailiya goal.
The penalty saves proved fortunate for Mohammad Jumaa who's dismissal meant that his team had to play the rest of the match with ten men.
Just two minutes after the missed penalty Al Ahli equalised courtesy of a show stopping finish by Ali Ferydoon.