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Ikoli vcitor
Doha
Al Sadd maintained their title challenge with a 4-1 win against Umm Salal at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, while Rayyan thrashed Al Arabi 4-2 in Round 8 matches in the QNB Stars League. In more bad news for Qatar SC, Al Khor added to the growing pressure on Argentine manager Gabriel Calderon after their 2-1 win sent the Qatar SC to the bottom of the table.
Here are five things we learned from the QNB Stars League this weekend:
Al Duhail record more goals
Heading into their game against Kharaitiyat last weekend, Duhail were flying and remained unbeaten, their six wins in seven Stars League games ” and 25 goals ” left them at the top of the table with 19 points. Not resting on their oars, Duhail manager Djamel Belmadi paraded his best eleven and they left no one in doubt of where the league title would land at the end of the season with an emphatic 8-2 victory to garner 22 points. The result is the biggest scoreline of the season.
In the previous season, Duhail had produced scintillating and record breaking results that was difficult to match by other teams in the top division. The 10-goal thriller ensured the league defending champions returned to the top of the table and increased their goal haul from 25 to 33 in eight games. If they continue in this style, it won't be surprising if they eclipse their 79 goals scored last season.
Al Sadd and Rayyan maintain title challenge
Al Sadd and Rayyan cannot afford to slip in the title race as the league season nears its half way mark. On Friday, Sadd thrashed Umm Salal 4-1 to move to just one point behind leaders Duhail. Sadd will have their chance to go above Duhail when they clash next week. Rayyan handed Al Arabi 4-2 defeat, their fifth defeat of the season taking them to 21 points and joint second place in the table. Michael Laudrup's side is the in-form team in the league with five consecutive wins. The team's powerful attacking trio of Tabata, Soria and Hamdallah were on the scorers sheet in their win over Arabi. Next for Rayyan is Umm Salal in the ninth round.El Arabi can't stop scoring
El Arabi can't stop scoring
Moroccan striker Youssef El Arabi hit another hat-trick for his 14th goal of the season in eight games. It was the striker's fifth hat-trick since joining the Red Knights from Spanish La Liga team Granada in 2016. At this rate, the 30-year-old could overhaul his 24-goal mark last season and surpass the league's best of 27 goals set by Clemerson de Ara??jo of Gharafa in the 2007-8 season.
Qatar SC woes continue
Qatar SC 2-1 narrow loss to Al khor was their sixth straight defeat of the season to compound their woes in the league. The defeat puts pressure on coach Gabriel Calderon who has lost seven games from eight matches played in the season. The Argentine has criticised his players recently for not giving enough to salvage the team's woeful start.
Sailiya the dark horse
We all know the favourites, but one team Sailiya has emerged as the dark horse to win the Stars League title this season. Only four points separate them from leaders Duhail after eight games. Sami Trabelsi's men recent 3-2 victory over Gharafa proved again that the team is ready to go all the way to challenge for the title. They have won six games and lost only two narrowly to Sadd and Rayyan.
