Strong encounters, most notably the Al Arabi vs Al Sadd Qatar Derby, will highlight the 2022-2023 season QNB Stars League’s Week 11, even as Al Shamal and Al Markhiya are back in action for the first time after the long break.

Other matches will not be less exciting as the teams seek to collect more and more points to enhance their position in the table.

Three games each will be played on Monday and Tuesday, 23rd and 24th January.

Al Arabi face Al Sadd test

Al Arabi achieved two successive victories after the long break and consolidated their position on top of the table with 22 points, despite Al Duhail being close on their heels, as The Dream Team beat Al Ahli and Al Wakrah. They are now in a big clash in the Qatar Derby with reigning champions Al Sadd, placed eighth with 10 points.

Al Arabi would be keen to keep winning in their bid to stay on top and ultimately win the league title, which has been eluding them for many seasons now. They have collective and individual brilliance to achieve it, and will count mainly on Syrian star Omar Al Somah and Tunisian Yousef Msakni, who both are in good form.

Meanwhile, Al Sadd, who played one match less than Al Arabi, beat Al Rayyan 2-1 in the Qatar Clasico in Week 9 and thus got back to the winning path after the return of a number of their international stars. Spanish coach Juanma now has all his offensive weapons, such as Akram Afif, Hassan Al Haydous, Andre Ayew and Baghdad Bounedjah, at his disposal.

First match for Al Shamal, Al Markhiya after break

Al Shamal and Al Markhiya are resuming their campaign after the long break only in this round. Al Shamal, in seventh place with 10 points, run into second-placed Al Duhail (20 points). Al Shamal, who beat Al Rayyan, Al Gharafa and Al Sadd earlier in this season’s tournament, will look for more positive results.

Al Duhail, who beat Al Gharafa and Umm Salal post-break, will seek a hat-trick of victories, especially given the fact that they scored six goals in the last two matches.

Ninth-placed Al Markhiya (eight points) face fourth-placed Al Ahli (13 points). Al Markhiya, who have beaten big names Al Sadd and Al Rayyan this season, will look to stop in-form Al Ahli, who go into the match with a 2-1 victory over Al Sailiya boosting their morale.

Keen to compensate

Third-placed Al Wakrah (15 points) take on bottom-placed Al Sailiya (four points). Al Wakrah will be eager to make up for their 1-2 loss to Al Arabi, while Al Sailiya have no choice but to think of a positive result in order to avoid relegation threat.

Fifth-placed Qatar SC (13 points) face 10th-placed Umm Salal (seven points) in another fixture. Qatar SC are in fine form, having beaten Al Gharafa by a 5-0 margin last week. The Kings were pushed behind to the fifth place by Al Ahli on goal difference. On the other hand, Umm Salal, who lost 1-3 to Al Duhail last week, will look to improve their position.

Al Gharafa lock horns with Al Rayyan in the week’s last fixture. Both teams lost last week, Al Gharafa 0-5 to Qatar SC and Al Rayyan 1-2 to Al Sadd in the Qatar Clasico. Al Gharafa and Al Rayyan have outstanding players in their ranks and that adds to the spice.