Al Khor and Al Gharafa shared the spoils with a 0-0 draw in Week 1 of the 2024-2025 season Ooredoo Stars League at the Al Bayt Stadium on Friday, August 9, 2024.

Despite their best efforts in a gripping contest of very close hits and misses, both Al Khor, who made it to league championship as Second Division toppers of last season, and Al Gharafa who were third in the league the previous season, had to be content with a point each.

While The Cheetahs came close to scoring twice as they hit the crossbar once in each half, Al Khor had the left post in way late in the second session.

And while the two sides pressed hard to find the target in the 10 minutes of stoppage time, a goal continued to remain elusive.

But it was a fascinating battle, with top players of both sides challenging hard. And it turned out to be a battle of equals in a way with Al Khor putting up a good fight against their formidable rivals, who were keen for an early breakthrough, but held back by the rivals.

Al Khor picked up their first yellow card of the match in the 20^th minute when Adil Rhaili was cautioned after he collided with former Real Madrid player Joselu of Al Gharafa.

Al Khor’s star forward Yohan Boli was in the thick of action early on, but his attempts were well cut off. In the 35th minute, Seydou Sano was shown the yellow card for fouling an advancing Boli.

A minute later, the resulting free-kick saw Al Khor coming close to scoring, but after a goal-mouth melee, Al Gharafa goalkeeper Khalifa Ababacar made a good save and in the nick of time just in front of the line.

In the 45th minute, Al Gharafa captain Ferjani Sassi got the ball being in great position in front of the goal but his shot went on to hit the crossbar.

In the added time of opening half, there was more action as Ahmed Reyed of Al Khor provided Boli with a fine cross, but the latter shot wide.

Al Gharafa began strongly in the second session and, in the 59th minute, a Joselu header was staved off by Al Khor goalkeeper Ahmed Basher Ali, who gave a good account of himself in the match.

Al Gharafa introduced forward Ahmed Alaaeldin on the hour mark.

Five minutes later, Al Gharafa again had a stroke of bad luck as new recruit Florinel Coman made a charging strike from the centre, just outside of the box, but the ball hit the crossbar to the right.

In the 72nd minute, Coman again was in the striking zone being given a good cross by Saifeldeen Fadlalla, but the Romanian this time shot wide.

A minute later it was Al Khor’s big miss moment as Boli sent across a measured cross to the left, but a diving Ayman Hussein’s header found the left post in way.