Doha: Al Shamal has ascended to the top of the Doha Bank Stars League with a decisive 4-2 victory over Al Rayyan in the second round.
According to Qatar News Agency, this climb to the summit of the league table comes after a remarkable turnaround in which the team, who finished sixth last season, overcame a 2-1 deficit. Algerian striker Baghdad Bounedjah played a pivotal role in the comeback with a strong performance in the second half.
Al Sadd returned to winning ways by defeating Al Ahli 2-0, recovering from a loss in the opening round. The goals were scored by Pedro Miguel and Akram Afif, with Afif marking his first official goal of the season. Meanwhile, Al Wakrah delivered a surprising 1-0 victory over Al Duhail, with Amine Zouhzouh converting a penalty. Al Duhail faced difficulties, including a red card for their goalkeeper Salah Zakaria.
Qatar SC continued their winning streak, securing their second consecutive victory by defeating Al Sailiya 2-0. Late goals from Czech midfielder Lukas Kalvach and Brazilian Joao Pedro ensured their triumph. Umm Salal achieved a crucial 2-0 win against Al Shahaniya, rebounding from an initial defeat to Al Gharafa. Moroccan midfielder Osama Tannane excelled for Umm Salal, scoring the first goal and providing an assist for the second. Under the guidance of French coach Patrice Carteron, the team celebrated their first win of the season.
Al Shahaniya, coached by Spain’s Santiago Denia, held strong in the first half, but a red card for midfielder Mohamed Sayar in the sixty-first minute disrupted their momentum. Ivorian international Jean Koffi then scored his first official goal for Umm Salal, solidifying the victory. This win marks Umm Salal’s third triumph over Al Shahaniya in eleven league meetings, equaling Al Shahaniya’s victories against them, with five matches resulting in draws.
Throughout the second round, sixteen goals were scored, averaging 2.6 goals per match, a decrease from the twenty-three goals recorded in the opening round. All six matches concluded with winners, and no draws occurred. The highest-scoring game was between Al Shamal and Al Rayyan, featuring four goals, while Al Sadd, Al Wakrah, Umm Salal, and Qatar SC maintained clean sheets. Four penalties were awarded during the round, with successful conversions by Baghdad Bounedjah (Al Shamal), Joao Pedro (Qatar SC), and Amine Zahzouh (Al Wakrah). Mohamed Ben Yatou (Al Sailiya) missed his penalty attempt.
The round also saw twenty-one yellow cards and three red cards issued to Mohamed Siraj (Al Rayyan), Mohamed Sayar (Al Shahaniya), and Salah Zakaria (Al Duhail). Brazilian forward Joao Pedro from Qatar SC leads the scoring chart, tied with several other players who each have scored once in the league so far.
Current league standings after the second round place Al Shamal, Al Gharafa, and Qatar SC at the top with six points each. The third round of the league promises exciting matchups, including Al Rayyan facing Al Duhail and Al Sadd taking on Al Gharafa.