Al Ahli defeated Al Duhail 5-3 in a high-intensity encounter in Week 12 of the 2023-2024 season Expo Stars League at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium of Al Duhail club on Thursday.

Goals from Yazan Al Naimat (seventh minute), after an own goal from Yousef Ayman (second minute), Oumar Sekou (35th and 80th minutes) and Naim Sliti (90+7 minute) gave Al Ahli the win, while Almoez Ali (31st minute), Ismail Mohammed (45+5 minute) and Mohammed Muntari (84th minute) scored for Al Duhail.

With the result, Al Ahli now have 12 points, while Al Duhail remained on 17 points.

Al Alhi, surprisingly, were comfortably in the driver’s seat of the match within the opening seven minutes, with two goals in the kitty to pile pressure on Al Duhail.
The Brigadiers were gifted the opening goal within 62 seconds of kick-off as Al Duhail's Yousef Ayman turned a seemingly harmless Sliti's freekick into his own net in an attempt to clear the ball.

Five minutes later, Al Naimat made it two for the visitors after stealing the ball from Al Duhail’s Assim Madibo just outside the box. He then rounded goalkeeper Salah Hassan before releasing a left-footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal to give Al Ahli a dream start.

Jolted by the turn of event, Al Duhail began making frantic efforts to get back into the game with a more purposeful attack, and Almoez Ali had a couple of attempts blocked before he eventually found the net in the 31st minute with a fine header from very close range following a sublime cross from Ismaeel Mohammad to cut their deficit.

Al Duhail’s happiness at getting back into the game was cut short four minutes later as Al Ahli restored their two-goal advantage, with Seoko firing home a right-footed shot from the centre of the box after Al Naimat had connected him with a pin-point cross.

Not one to give up easily, Al Duhail kept their cool under pressure as they tried to regain control of the game. Ibrahima Bamba almost scored their second goal in three minutes of added time, but his header went inches wide to the right before Ismail Mohammed got it right a few seconds later, hitting the net with a right-footed shot from the centre of the box after a timely pass from Almoez Ali to reduce the deficit back to one as they headed for the dugout at halftime.

The second half started with both teams playing a balancing act, trying not to leave their flanks open and concede more goals in a counterattack while attempting to score upfront.

Al Duhail had a couple of chances missed and they had a penalty call in the 73rd that was eventually overruled after a VAR check.

Al Ahli, who had been in superb form all night, once again restored their two-goal advantage in the 80th minute with an unmarked Sekou securing his brace after getting a brilliant supply from Navid Mohammad Doozandeh to put the ball past goalkeeper Hassan to make it four for The Brigadiers.

Three minutes later, it was the turn of Al Duhail to celebrate, with Coutinho getting their third goal of the night, assisted by Sultan Al Breik.

With the game looking to head to a thrilling draw, Al Ahli once again went two-goal clear in seven minutes of injury time as Sliti secured their fifth goal of the night with a left-footed shot from the left side of the six-yard box to the centre of the goal following another wonderful assist from Doozandeh after a fast counter-attack.

The goal seemed to take the wind out of Al Duhail’s sail as they could not do much after that, with Al Ahli claiming the maximum points of the enthralling encounter.