Easy win for Al Duhail despite Al Kharaitiyat wonder goal

Doha: For a brief moment Al Kharaitiyat played like magicians and Duhail were left spellbound with the beauty of their goal which came in the 23rd minute through Valentin Lazar. Then they remembered who they really were — the minnows — and it was business as usual for Duhail, the reigning champions pumping in four goals for another easy victory.

Duhail are now on 22 points from eight matches and lead second-placed Al Al Rayyan, who defeated Al Sailiya 2-1, by four points. Rayyan, who rallied late through goals from Sebastian Soria and Rodrigo Tabata, however, have played 10 games while Al Sadd, with 17 from seven, are third.

Earlier, Kharaitiyat stunned the champions with their sublime team goal that was embellished with two perfect back flicks. There was a touch of arrogance as Kharaityat gave Duhail a taste of their own medicine. Anwar Dipa met Mahmoud Abdelhamid Saad’s centre from the left wing with an audacious flick and sent it into the danger area where Mohammed Abdurabb met it with another back flick to present the ball as if on a plate to Valentin Lazar.

The Romanian just had to apply the finishing touch to a move that would make the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Andres Iniesta proud and he did in style.

Kharaitiyat, who had struggled all season, were suddenly in an unfamiliar territory but Bassam Hisham bundled in Nam Tae-Hee corner in the 32nd minute to draw level for Duhail.

Though Bassam got a red card in the 56th minute, Duhail took the lead just four minutes after that.

Again it was a Nam dead-ball that troubled Kharaitiyat defence as goalkeeper Ahmed Soufiane and defender Abdarahman Abdallah went for the freekick allowing Mohammed Musa to blast home the loose ball.

Soon Duhail made it 3-1 as Almoez took advantage of another breakdown in communication in Kharaitiyat defence — this time Ali Faez and Sufiane the culprits — with the Kharaitiyat keeper ending up hacking Almoez inside the box.

Youssef El Arabi made no mistake from the spot although Soufiane dived the right way. Then El Arabi made it 4-1 after Kharaitiyat defence went to sleep and the evening, which started on a glorious note for the Thunders again ended with a whimper.

As for Duhail, they would think that they are a step ahead of Al Sadd in the title race, which they are.