QSL
Al Sadd asserted their supremacy over Al Arabi by beating them 3-0 in Week 13 of the QNB Stars League on Saturday.
Tournament top scorer Baghdad Bounedjah scored two goals (seventh minute and 45+2 penalty) and Hassan Al Haydous one (49th-min penalty) in the Qatar Derby played at the Al Arabi Stadium.
Al Sadd stayed second in the standings with 26 points with two games in hand, while Al Arabi stayed on 15.
It was Al Sadd’s eighth victory. The Wolves had defeated The Dream Team 10-1 in the first leg.
Bounedjah took his tally on top of the scorers’ chart to 21 goals, while it was Al Haydous’ third goal of the season.
Both Al Sadd and Al Arabi had registered victories in the last round, against Al Kharaitiyat (7-1) and Al Khor (1-0) respectively.
Al Arabi put up a far better display than they did in their first-leg game. This time around, they were bogged down by injuries.
Colombian recruit Franco Hurtado and Iraqi player Ahmed Ibrahim were out injured, while Abdulla Marafy had already been ruled out for the season.
Al Sadd missed star Spanish midfielder Xavi Hernandez who suffered a torn muscle during their QSL Cup Round 3 match last week.
It was Al Sadd more in the game right throughout.
Bounedjah and Al Haydous got on to the scoresheet, but it was Akram Afif who was in the thick of action. He was unlucky not to score as he was either off target or Al Arabi goalkeeper Masoud Zarayi, who had a good game, stood in his way.
Bounedjah took Al Sadd ahead by slotting home an Akram Afif cross from the left with a first-time shot.
Al Haydous soon missed a chance as he mistimed his shot that went wide.
Al Sadd created more chances even though Akram and Bounedjah were off the mark.
Al Sadd doubled the lead when Bounedjah converted a penalty awarded after Yassin Yakoub fouled Abdelkarim Hassan.
Mailson Farias, Mohammed Salal El Neel and Diego Jardel all tried hard, but Al Arabi could not make a breakthrough.
Al Haydous stepped in to convert the penalty after Ahmed Fathy brought down Akram soon after resumption.
Having scented victory, Al Sadd took the foot slightly off the pedal.