Alkass Digital
Qatar SC made a comeback to beat a challenging Al Markhiya 2-1 after being a goal down in Week 18 of the 2023-2024 season Expo Stars League at the Grand Hamad Stadium of Al Arabi club on Sunday.
It was a creditable win from Qatar SC after they were reduced to 10 men, with Raoul Sanda being shown the red card in the 20th minute.
Al Markhiya had gone up the lead in the 22nd minute through Driss Fettouhi before Javi Martinez (48th minute) and Abdullah Al Ahrak (58th minute) struck for Qatar SC.
With the three points gained, Qatar SC moved up to 16 points in 10th place, while Al Markhiya remained 12th with eight points.
Al Markhiya capitalized on the free-kick they gained after Sanda was sent off as Fettouhi fired in a superb low left-footed swerving kick from just outside the box to rattle the net on the right.
Qatar SC retaliated soon after resumption of play in the second session through a corner kick. Bruno Tabata made a perfect shot and even as Ben Malango missed reaching the ball, Martinez behind him timed his jump perfectly to make a successful header for the equalizer.
Qatar SC went into the lead 10 minutes later, with Al Ahrak making a telling strike from almost 10 yards outside the left of the box to beat a diving goalkeeper Oumar Barry in the right corner. Al Ahrak was set up with a golden pass from Boli.
Having gained the advantage, Qatar SC now attacked more and Al Markhiya were left to do a lot of defending.
In the 73rd minute, a Tabata left-footed strike went over the goal, while two minutes later an Al Markhiya action in front of the goal saw a threatening strike being saved after the ball hit the inner thigh of Qatar SC’s Ibrahim Majed and got deflected.
In the added time, Al Markhiya made frenetic attempts, with Yusupha Njie and Fettouhi striking hard, but on both occasions Qatar SC goalkeeper Sataa Al Abbasi made superb saves diving far to his left and then right respectively.
Towards the close, an Al Markhiya player dashed into the danger zone to foil a Qatar SC charge.