Late own goal helps Al Sadd hold Al Duhail

Doha, Qatar: Al Duhail tried everything to take their QNB Stars League title defence to the wire but all they managed was a 2-2 draw which surely extended it to one more week, but leaders Al Sadd now need just a draw from two matches to win the league for the first time since 2012-13 season.

Sadd were well on their way to seal the title at Duhail Stadium on Saturday itself as a beautifully worked goal, scored by Baghdad Bounedjah had given Sadd the lead after Akram Afif missed a penalty earlier in the game.

But Youssef El Arabi scored twice in 10 minutes late in the game to hand the advantage back to Duhail before an own goal from Murad Naji broke their heart.

Sadd were definitely the better side in the first half and they were awarded a penalty in the 12th minute for a foul on Bounedjah by Mohammed Moosa.

Bounedjah got ahead of Moosa inside the box and induced a mistimed challenge from the Duhail defender prompting referee Abdulrahman Al Jassim to point to the spot.

Duhail players felt hard done by the decision and luckily for them, Amine Lecomte dived to his right to palm away Afif’s low show for a corner.

Moosa, who played as right back, where normally Murad Naji operates, was constantly under pressure and was lucky not to get a yellow card for a late tackle on Afif in the first half.

Sadd had breached Duhail defence too easily when the two teams met in December, and the Red Knights strengthened considerably since that 3-1 defeat, adding Moroccan defender Medhi Benatia, one of the best in the business, and Nakajima Shoya to their roster.

But Benatia was only an embarrassed spectator when Bounedjah and Afif linked up beautifully, playing one-two at the heart of Duhail defence before the Algerian tapped the Qatari winger’s return ball into an empty net.

A few minutes later Duhail defence was again cut open, this time by a through ball from Xavi, and Bounedjah’s chip past an advancing Lecomte hit the post and bounced back into play, allowing Benatia to clear the danger.

Duhail too had their chances and Shoya was unlucky not to have scored a wonder goal, his attempted chip from outside the box after a slaloming run hitting the crossbar.

Duhail needed at least a goal to extend their title defence to another week and Almoez Ali, playing for the first time after his Asian Cup heroics, saw his shot sail inches over the bar at the start of the second half.

A few minutes later Almoez’s shot across the goal eluded the right foot of El Arabi.

The Moroccan striker was not able to influence the game as much as he would have liked until then, but he announced himself in glorious fashion in the 75th minute.

El Arabi, last season’s top-scorer, controlled a Benatia long ball inside the box with a delightful first touch and finished it off with a devastating second one.

The goal further sharpened Duhail’s attack all of a sudden and it only took 10 minutes for them to score again.

Ali Afif, who was full of running since replacing Sultan Al Brake in the 72nd minute, surged into the box menacingly and Hamad Ismael’s tackle was too late.

Al Jassim once again pointed to the spot and El Arabi beat Saad Al Sheeb for the second time in the match, with a neat kick right into the bottom corner.

Duhail have a habit of ruining Sadd’s dreams late into the season and it seemed they had another such plan in store.

But the game had one last twist and this time the reigning champions were at the receiving end of that.

Hassan Al Haydous’ cross deep in added time was more in hope than conviction, but the ball hit Murad Naji’s legs and rolled back agonisingly into his own goal.

Duhail players were left crestfallen and that was the last action of the match.

Sadd take on Al Ahli in their next match needing just a draw to win the title, but it won’t be an easy game as they had lost 1-4 when the teams met earlier in the season.

Ahli, aiming for a fourth-place finish, are in top form as well and a 2-1 victory against Al Arabi, with Meshaal Abdullah and Mohammad Al Bayati finding the target, leaves them level on 33 points with Al Rayyan, who suffered a 2-4 defeat to Al Gharafa.

Vladimir Weiss scored a brace, including a penalty, for Gharafa, whose other goals were scored by Mehdi Taremi and Lucas Mendes.

Rodrigo Tabata, from a penalty, and Gelmin Rivas scored Rayyan’s goals.