Al Gharafa make a winning start in new QNB Stars League season

Tribune News Network Doha Al Gharafa made a winning start to their QNB Stars League 2021-22 campaign with a dominating 2-0 win over Al Shamal on their home...

Tribune News NetworkDohaAl Gharafa made a winning start to their QNB Stars League 2021-22 campaign with a dominating 2-0 win over Al Shamal on their home turf but Al Rayyan were held to a thrilling 2-2 draw in their match on Saturday. Ahmed Al Janehi (20th minute) opened the scoring for Al Gharafa. Maintaining good ball possession, The Cheetahs doubled the lead when Moyad Hassan found the net in the 33rd minute.The match got off to a fast pace with Al Gharafa dictating the proceedings. Skipper Hassan early on missed an easy chance to score from close range as his shot flew above the Al Shamal crossbar in the ninth minute.A minute later, Algerian attacking midfielder Sofiane Hanni curled in a spectacular shot from the edge of the box, but Al Shamal keeper Hassan Idriss was alert to stop the ball.In what could have been a spectacular goal, Al Shamal skipper Baha Faisal – from the edge of the Al Gharafa box – unleashed a powerful shot that hit the goalpost and sailed away in the 17th minute.Al Gharafa soon afterwards scored. Hanni, after receiving a long cross, found Al Janehi with a low flick. Al Janehi was quick to shoot the ball into the net from close range.In the 32nd minute, Al Gharafa doubled the lead when Hassan slipped in a low shot that beat a defender and keeper Idriss. Al Shamal lifted their game in the second half. A little after the hour-mark, Jeison Escobar charged into the Al Gharafa box, but his fierce shot deflected off the leg of keeper Yousef Haasan.Ten minutes later, Al Shamal skipper Faisal found the net with a shot from inside the net, but the effort was ruled offside by assistant referee.Four minutes from close, Al Ghafara’s Almahdi Ali scored off a header following a corner kick, but the goal was disallowed for a foul.Boli’s double for Al Rayyan Striker Yohan Boli was the star as Al Rayyan survived Umm Salal a scare in their first match of 2021-2022 QNB Stars League season at the Al Gharafa Stadium.Al Rayyan were two goals down till 74th minute before the Ivory Coast star scored twicein a span of 10 minutes to earn a late draw for his side. Umm Salal, who finished 10th in the last season, looked a different side as they got off to a strong start firing the opener in 8th minute through Yaseen Al Bakhit. Isael da Silva Barbosa doubled the lead in 55th minute after Al Rayyan were reduced to 10 men following a red to card to Franck Kom. Boli then scored goals in 74 and 85 minutes to open account for The Lions. Coach Laurent Blanc will be looking to bring improvement in Al Rayyan’s performance as apart from Boli’s strikes, none of the other seven Al Rayyan attempts were on target.The third match of the opening day between Qatar SC and Al Ahli ended in a goalless draw.