Al Sailiya recorded a valuable 5-0 win over Al Shamal in Week 13 of the 2022-2023 season QNB Stars League at the Qatar SC Stadium on Sunday.

The star of Al Sailiya’s win was Mehrdad Mohammadi, who scored a hat-trick (76th minute penalty, 79th minute and 90th minute). Carlos Strandberg (45+2  minute) and Mohammed Muddather (60th minute) had scored earlier for The Peregrines.

Registering their second win in the league, Al Sailiya showed superb co-ordination and finishing skills.

While it took them a little while to get their first goal on board, they ran roughshod over their rivals in the second half.

The breakthrough was provided by Al Sailiya’s Swedish striker Strandberg in the added time of the opening half. Put through with a fine ball from the left by Ahmed Al Minhali, Strandberg made big strides to get to it and went on to beat an onrushing goalkeeper Babacar Seck, scoring from an acute angle and just past the left post.

Muddather soon doubled the lead in the second half with a solid strike from well outside the box as the kick beat the diving goalkeeper to his right.

Al Shamal then tried to counter-attack, but many of their attempts in front of the goal did not materialize. Their corner kicks were well directed, but the players could not find a proper connection to trouble the rival defence and goalkeeper.

Later, when Strandberg provided a golden ball inside the ‘D’, Al Shamal’s Loick Landre held on to Ismail Khafi who appealed and the referee had no hesitation in signaling to the spot.

Mehrdad stepped up to score the penalty and his first goal. His second followed off a great cross from Strandberg from the left as Mehrdad ran in into the box and scored, beating the goalkeeper.

His third and hat-trick goal was a fine solo effort as Mehrdad broke past the defenders, kept the ball in control off a rebound from a defender’s feet and charged in to strike from the right.

Al Sailiya’s win took them to seven points from 12 matches, while Al Shamal stood on 10 points from as many games.