Salim Cheniouni
Matchday five of the QNB Stars League will see a clash of
historical rivals Al Arabi and Al-Rayyan, in 4th and 5th
place respectively, battle it out at Grand Hamad Stadium. The pressure is on,
as the teams will be battling to close the gap on league title favourites
Al-Duhail and Al-Sadd, who are currently taking a break to prepare for their
second leg quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League.
Al Arabi’s confidence will be high after two back-to-back
wins against Al Kharaitiyat and Umm Salal, proving that they may have bounced
back from their shocking 10-1 loss against Al-Sadd on matchday two. Midfielder Diego
Jardel is proving he is just kind of player Al-Arabi need, and as it stands he
is the player in the league with most dribbles. On the other hand, Al-Rayyan
captain and veteran Rodrigo Tabata is proving age is just a number, averaging
11.5 km per game – the second highest in the league, with superb goals against
the likes of Al Kharaitiyat on matchday four.
With both clubs amongst the oldest, and with some of the
biggest fan bases in Qatar, this may be a turning point in the league, and
could perhaps even challenge for the title.
Location: Grand Hamad Stadium (Al-Arabi)
Time: 18:00 PM