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Tribune News Network
Doha
Exciting contests are on the cards in at least three of the six mathces in the QNB Stars League fifth round scheduled for October 19 to 21.
The Al Arabi versus Al Sadd, Umm Salal against Al Duhail and Al Sailiya versus Al Rayyan encounters are sure to be quite electrifying.
Al Kharaitiyat will open the proceedings by taking on Al Gharafa at the Al Khor Stadium on Thursday while Friday's fixtures will be Al Sailiya against Al Rayyan (Al Ahli Stadium 17:25), Al Khor versus Al Markhiya (Al Khor Stadium 17:25) and Al Arabi versus Al Sadd (Al Arabi Stadium 19:35).
The round's action will conclude on Saturday, with Umm Salal taking on Al Duhail (Al Gharafa Stadium 17:25) and Qatar SC facing Al Ahli (Al Duhail Stadium 19:35).
The fourth-round action saw the maximum number of goals (27) scored for a week so far in this season's league. Obviously, there were many high-scoring games and outstanding individual performances. There was not a single drawn result too. All these factors augur well for the competition and fans can look forward to more and more exciting contests in the coming weekend.
The Al Arabi versus Al Sadd derby is part of the Qatar football legend. it always evokes a keen interest among all stakeholders. Al Sadd go into the Match of the Week on the back of a strong performance against Qatar SC while Al Arabi had lost to Umm Salal in the previous round and have to find motivation from the prospects of the derby.
Al Sadd and Al Duhail are moving neck and neck atop the standings, the latter leading the table on goal difference, while Al Arabi are ninth with three points that they gained from their victory over Qatar SC in Round 3. So there is a lot at stake for both sides. the presence of top players on both sides will be the icing on the cake.
Al Duhail's game against Umm Salal will also have all ingredients of a thriller. The Red Knights will be bolstered by the presence of coach Djamel Belmadi back on the touchline as he was ordered to be on the stands for their last two league matches due to a disciplinary action taken after their Round 2 fixture against Al Arabi.
The face-off between two in-form strikers, Youssef El Arabi of Al Duhail and Yannick Sagbo of Umm Salal, will be the sub-plot of this encounter. Both players performed crucial roles, with hat-tricks, in their Round 3 victories. El Arabi is leading the top scorers' chart with eight goals. Sparks are bound to fly when formidable Al Rayyan clash with Al Sailiya.
Moroccan forward Abderrazzak Hamdellah is leading The Lions' charge while Al Sailiya should take heart from the fact that Brazilian Wagner Ribeiro has sort of regained his original form, as was evident from his display over Al Kharaitiyat in their previous game.
