​The QNB Stars League fans turn their attention to Week 9 action, which will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, January 11 and 12, 2023.

Five of the six matches will be played this week, while the Al Markhiya vs Al Shamal fixture was postponed, according to what was previously announced, in co-ordination with the clubs.

The fixtures are Al Duhail vs Umm Salal, Qatar SC vs Al Gharafa and Al Rayyan vs Al Sadd (Qatar Clasico) on Wednesday, and Al Wakrah vs Al Arabi and Al Sailiya vs Al Ahli on Thursday.

Second-placed Al Duhail (17 points) and 10th-placed Umm Salal (seven points) open the week’s action at the Al Duhail Stadium.

Al Duhail are fresh from their 3-0 win over Al Gharafa, which helped them leapfrog to second position, and they would hope that leaders AlArabi stumble against Al Wakrah on Thursday.

On the other hand, Umm Salal, who did not lose in the last four matches in the league (a win and three draws), realize that maintaining a series of positive results requires a great effort, especially against Al Duhail.

In the second match, also at Al Duhail Stadium, seventh-placed Qatar SC (10 points) face fourth-placed Al Gharafa (12 points).

Both teams are sure to fight it out for victory.

Qatar SC have a postponed match from Week 8 against Al Sadd in hand.

All eyes will be on the Al Gharafa Stadium, which will host the Qatar Clasico between Al Rayyan and Al Sadd.

Al Rayyan are on a high, having registered their first victory last week, against Al Sailiya (2-0). It also helped them move from last place to 11th with four points.

Reigning champions Al Sadd are ranked ninth with seven points. Their ranks are strengthened by the return of a number of international players who played in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. At the same time, the Wolves will miss some players who are doing for Qatar at the ongoing Gulf Cup in Basra, Iraq.

Al Sadd would hope the Qatar Clasico will put their campaign back on track as they aim to win the league that they won in the last two seasons.

 

Leaders Al Arabi (19 points) run into third-placed Al Wakrah (15 points) at the Al Wakrah Stadium.

Al Arabi enter the match with high spirits as they continued from where they left off before the break and put it across Al Ahli 2-1 in the last round, with Syrian star Omar Al Somah scoring both of their goals.

Al Wakrah were not in action in Week 8 as their game against Al Shamal was postponed.

The last match will pit bottom-placed Al Sailiya (four points) against fifth-placed Al Ahli (10 points).

Both teams had lost in the last round and would seek to compensate for it.

Al Ahli would look for a win that can take them to the top four, while Al Sailiya would look to garner as many points as possible at this stage as they try to stay away from the danger zone.