Qatar- Al Sadd dent Al Gharafa's hopes of top-four finish Al Duhail bag win

(MENAFN - The Peninsula) The Peninsula Doha: Title-holders Al Sadd defeated Al Gharafa 2-0 at Al Sadd Stadium as the Cheetahs' hopes of making the top four were handed a major blow following their  QNB Stars League Round 20 fixture yesterday.   Nam Tae-Hee (16th minute) and Santi Cazorla (65th-minute penalty) scored the goals. Al Sadd, who sealed their record-extending 15th Falcon Shield by taking an unassailable lead over their rivals, moved on to 54 points with their 17th victory, the most by any team. Al Gharafa stood on 30 points following their ninth loss and slumped to sixth spot in the rankings following Qatar SC's loss to Al Sailiya while Al Ahli roared into the top four with a 2-1 win over Al Kharaitiyat. The top three teams from the QSL receive automatic qualifications for next season's AFC Asian Champions League while the fourth placed team gets to play in the play-off round. Al Gharafa had played their Week 21 match against Al Wakrah and lost by a 0-2 margin on March 16. This means they only have one more match to play in the League this season.  The Cheetahs are having a bad patch, having lost 0-3 to Al Rayyan in the 2020-21 season Ooredoo Cup semi-final recently. During yesterday's match, Al Sadd who rested their international players who were on duty recently, adopted a cautious approach in the first half. However, they succeeded in taking the lead as Nam capitalised on a chipped through pass by Cazorla and sent the ball home past an advancing goalkeeper Yousef Hassan. Al Gharafa created two chances in the first half, but Sofiane Hanni and Ahmed Al Janahi both sent their shots wide of the target. Al Sadd unleashed attacks from the start of the second half. Yousef Abdulrazaq missed a chance in the 46th minute and, two minutes later, Rodrigo Tabata's effort was saved by Al Gharafa defender Homam Al Ameen even as the goalkeeper was out of his charge. Al Duhail players celebrate after scoring a goal against Al Arabi. Al Sadd brought in Baghdad Bounedjah and Ali Asad in place of Hosam Kamal and Yousef Abdulrazaq. Al Sadd then went 2-0 up. The penalty was awarded when substitute Saeed Al Hajj ‘handled' the ball and Cazorla sent Yousef the wrong way, though with a feeble kick. Action soon hotted up as shots by Nam first and Cazorla off the rebound were blocked by the goalkeeper. At the other end, Hanni missed a sitter as Al Sadd goalkeeper Motaz Barsham thwarted him. And the scoreline remained the same. Al Sadd had beaten Al Gharafa 4-1 in the first leg. Later, at the same venue, Al Duhail defeated Al Arabi 3-2.  Mohamed Musa Al Duhail (35th), Michael Olunga (44th) and Paulo Edmilson (54th minute) scored goals for Al Duhail, while Abdulaziz Rashid Al Ansari (29th) and Youssef Msakni (40th minute) scored for Al Arabi.   Edmilson was handed the red card by referee Meshari Ali Al Shamari (in 90+1 minutes) for a foul against Al Arabi substitute Ibrahem Kalla, followed by a yellow card to Al Duhail coach Sabri Lamouchi.  However, Al Duhail consolidated their second place with 43 points from 14 wins and a draw with the victory. Al Arabi stayed on seventh spot with 26 points. At Qatar SC Stadium, Al Sailiya beat Qatar SC 2-1. Ramin Semeskandi (48th minute) and Abdulqadir Ilyas  (71st minute) were on target for Al Sailiya after Cristian Prieto (42nd minute) gave Qatar SC lead with a spot kick. Al Sailiya moved to 26 points from seven wins and five draws while Qatar SC slipped to fifth spot with 31 points following the defeat. Umm Salal and Al Rayyan players in action during yesterday's match. Meanwhile, 10th placed Umm Salal shocked Al Rayyan with a 3-2  win over the Laurent Blanc-coached side at the Qatar SC Stadium yesterday. Ahmed Hammoudan (18) and captain Lawrence Quaye (45) scored the goals for Umm Salal in the first half, with Kayke Rodrigues (72) adding another in the second session. Substitutes Mowafak Awad (87) and Ali Ferydoon (90+3) scored for Al Rayyan. Elsewhere, at Al Ahli Stadium, Al Wakrah and Al Khor played out a goalless draw as they took their points tally to 23 and 15 respectively. It was Al Wakrah's fifth draw and Al Khor's sixth.  MENAFN04042021000063011010ID1101857884