Alkass English
Defending champions Al Sadd are determined to get their Doha Bank Stars League campaign back on track when they face Al Ahli in the second round at Al Thumama Stadium on Thursday.
Both sides are searching for their first win of the season. Al Ahli opened with a 0-2 loss to Al Shamal, while Al Sadd suffered a 2-3 setback to Qatar SC.
Al Ahli, led by Croatian coach Igor Biscan, will count on their experienced midfield featuring Julian Draxler and Driss Fettouhi, while striker Erik Exposito spearheads the attack alongside Oumar Sekou.
Al Sadd, under Felix Sanchez, boast firepower with Akram Afif, Rafa Mujica, and Claudinho, supported defensively by Boualem Khoukhi and Pedro Miguel.
Speaking ahead of the clash, Sanchez stressed the importance of refocusing:
“Al Ahli had a strong season last year finishing in the top four, so we expect a tough match. Both teams started poorly, but we must concentrate on ourselves and push for our first league win.”
Captain Hassan Al Haydous echoed his coach:
“It’s a difficult and important game. The loss to Qatar SC was a surprise to us all, but we’ll work to put things right against Al Ahli.”
On the other side, Biscan urged focus:
“We face the defending champions, so the challenge is huge. But my priority is for Al Ahli to perform with discipline and fight for the win.”
After upsetting Al Sadd, Qatar SC meet Al Sailiya at Al Bayt Stadium earlier on Thursday. Coach Marquez Lopez warned against complacency:
“The victory over Al Sadd was only three points. We’re still building as a team, so we must stay focused and approach Al Sailiya with the same determination.”
Al Sailiya, coming off a loss to Al Rayyan, will seek redemption through the likes of Mohamed Taabouni, Matias Nani, Abdelaziz Mitwali, and Mohammed Benyettou.
Other Week 2 Fixtures
* Friday: Al Gharafa vs Al Arabi (Ahmad Bin Ali, 6:30pm); Al Shamal vs Al Rayyan (Jassim Bin Hamad, 8:30pm)
* Saturday: Umm Salal vs Al Shahania (Al Bayt, 6:30pm); Al Duhail vs Al Wakrah (Khalifa International, 8:30pm)