In-form Al Sadd reclaimed the top spot with a dominant 4-0 win over Al Shamal in Week 10 of the 2023-2024 season Expo Stars League at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium of Al Sadd club on Friday.

The Wolves held sway throughout the exciting match, with Gonzalo Plata (39th and 62nd minutes), Akram Afif (58th-minute penalty) and Baghdad Bounedjah (86th minute) scoring the goals.

Afif also provided an assist for his team’s opening goal.

To add to their own woes, Al Shamal were also reduced to 10 men in the 52nd minute of the match when Jassem Al Hashemi was given the marching orders for bringing down a charging Afif from behind.

A little consolation seemed to be comforting Al Shamal in added time when Ricardo Gomes made a successful header, but he was soon ruled off-side.

The victory took Al Sadd’s points tally to 22 points from eight games ahead of Al Gharafa (22 points from nine games) on better goal difference, while Al Shamal remained on nine points from 10 matches.

Continuing their winning run, Al Sadd - who also won their last league match and recently scored a convincing win over Sharjah FC in the AFC Champions League in the UAE – just seemed unstoppable.

Al Sadd made an attacking start from the word go and could have gone up the lead in the very sixth minute of the game when the mercurial Afif from the left provided Yusuf Abdurisag with a super cross, but the latter’s effort to kick the ball in was cut off by alert Al Shamal goalkeeper Abdalla El Rady.

Another high point for Al Sadd arrived in the 25th minute of the match when Afif made a sterling diagonal cross from the left and once again to Yusuf who scored from the near the right post but in his eagerness to get to the ball was caught offside marginally. The VAR confirmed offside and it was a no-goal.

Al Sadd made the inevitable, 14 minutes later with Plata converting another of Afif’s brilliant cross for the team’s opening goal.

Down 0-1 going into the half-time break, Al Shamal still seemed like making a game of it having shown some good resistance against the barrage of attacks from Al Sadd, but some of their own undoings added to their difficulties in the second session.

Soon on resumption, a good chance came Al Shamal’s way in the 48th minute when Omid Ebrahimi seized an opportunity in front of the goal, but shot wide to the left.

The proceedings then went south for Al Shamal when they lost one player with Al Hashemi receiving the red card for a rough tackle in the 52nd minute. A minute later, Afif produced a dangerous in-dipping kick but it was moved over the crossbar by goalkeeper El Rady.

With Al Sadd firing on all cylinders, Al Shamal’s Mahdi Salem conceded a penalty for fouling Al Sadd’s Ahmed Bader when just inside the box. Afif scored the spot kick and Al Sadd were 2-0 up. It was also Afif’s 10th goal of the league season.

Adding to the excitement, Plata brought the third goal with a golden solo move down the right and beat the goalkeeper with the ball going into the far left corner, and whatever hopes Al Shamal may have went up in smoke.

Al Sadd coach Wesam Rizik introduced Algerian striker Baghdad Bounedjah into the game in the 62nd minute and he almost made it 4-0, but his low curling kick went on to hit the right post.

In the 68th minute, Afif was back in business making a golden solo move, but his measured kick too found the bottom of the right post and dejection writ large on the winger's face.

Al Sadd were relentless in their attacks and in the 82nd min, a Bounedjah header attempt was stopped by El Rady, who managed to keep the bouncing ball out.

Minutes after, El Rady had more to do as he dived to his left to cut off another of Afif’s potential strikes.

Al Sadd’s fourth and final goal was realized from Hassan Al Haydous’ fine high-ball kick which was first headed by Bounedjah but came back hitting the left post before the Algerian could kick it in back again.

It is noteworthy that Al Sadd also have two postponed matches on hand, against Al Arabi and Al Duhail.