Qatar SC beat Al Shamal 2-1 in Week 20 of the 2023-2024 season Expo Stars League at the Al Bayt Stadium on Saturday.

All three goals of the match came through Qatar SC’s players, with Bruno Tabata (23rd minute) and Yousef Mohammed (28th minute) scoring for coach Helio Sousa’s side, while Al Shamal’s goal came courtesy of an own goal by Khaled Mahmoudi in the 41st minute.

Qatar SC advanced to 19 points in the standings with the result, while Al Shamal remained on 21.

The match was evenly balanced with not much difference between the two sides until Qatar SC’s Tabata opened the scoring in the 23rd minute after finishing off an impressive overlapping run by Yohan Boli, who made a good sprint with the ball from their own half of the field before perfectly setting up the Brazilian for the sublime finish.

The goal was, however, without incident, as Al Shamal’s Jassim Ali Al Hashemi, who was making a run to tackle Tabata, suffered a likely harmstring injury in the attempt and had to be stretchered out shortly after the goal.

Six minutes later, an error in the midfield by Al Shamal resulted in the ball falling into Qatar SC’s Raoul Sanda, who made a dashing run before firing a right-footed shot that was parried by goalkeeper Abdalla El Rady into the waiting legs of Ali, who only had to tap in to bag the second goal for Qatar SC.

With two goals down, Al Shamal started seeking a way back into the game with some brilliant attacking runs and their effort eventually paid off in the 41st minute when Mahmoudi mistakenly headed the ball into his own net in an attempt to clear the ball away to pull Al Shamal back into the game.

The scoreline remained the same as the team headed into the dugout for the break.

Al Shamal were the better side for most of the second half, but for all their superior ball possession, they could, however, not get the needed equliser as Qatar SC stood determined to run away with the maximum points.

Al Shamal’s closest attempt at securing the equaliser was in the 80th minute, when Yousef Belhanda’s curling shot grazed the upright on its way out.

Without many other opportunities, Qatar SC cruised to a very important win, while Al Shamal were left to rue their luck.