Al Shamal and Al Wakrah had to be content with a goalless, but exciting draw in their postponed Week 13 match of the 2023-2024 season Expo Stars League played at the Al Bayt Stadium on Tuesday.

Despite battling hard, and more so in the second half, both teams could not succeed in breaking the deadlock though they did come close to scoring on occasions.

Towards the end, players of either side pushed hard and in the 85th minute Al Wakrah’s Abdulaziz Metwali was shown the red card after the referee had a look at the VAR. He had stepped on to onrushing Matias Nani’s foot while trying to gain hold of the ball on the sideline near the centre.

Five minutes of injury time was added to the game and while both Al Shamal and Al Wakrah tried their best, none could find a fitting finish.

The result saw Al Wakrah’s points tally move to 38 points, while Al Shamal moved to 22 points.

Al Shamal were dogged in defence especially in the opening half leaving Al Wakrah’s attacking line frustrated. However, in the 29th minute, Al Shamal’s Fahad Waad in an attempt to beat an advancing Jacinto Dala kicked the ball towards his own goal, but goalkeeper Babacar Seck dived to his right to stave off the danger.

The second session resumed with Al Shamal’s Omar Mohammed making a powerful strike in the 52nd minute inside the striking zone, but Al Wakrah’s goalkeeper Saoud Mubarak blocked it.

Al Wakrah then survived a close call in the 68th minute as Al Shamal’s Younes Mohammed unleashed a left-foot strike from top of the box and the ball beat a diving goalkeeper but only to hit the bottom of the left post.

In the 76th minute, Al Wakrah’s substitute Khalid Muneer unleashed a powerful strike from just outside the box, but once again goalkeeper Seck made the save for Al Shamal diving to his left.

In the dying moments, Al Wakrah scrambled to find some openings and while Dala did look to make a header when in front of the goal, the ball was too high for him to make a connect.