DOHA: Umm Salal secured a valuable 1-0 victory over Al Sailiya in Week 16 of the Doha Bank Stars League at Hamad bin Khalifa Stadium on Friday.
Spanish forward Cristo Perez scored the decisive goal in the 24th minute to seal Umm Salal’s second successive win. The result moved them to 15 points in 11th place, level on points with Al Sailiya, who remain ninth on goal difference.
Umm Salal made a bright start and nearly broke the deadlock in the seventh minute when a cross from Croatian defender Antonio Mance found Perez inside the area, but his effort struck the post.The breakthrough came midway through the first half as Abdulrahman Al Rashidi delivered a precise cross into the box and Perez finished firmly at the near post.
Al Sailiya responded with greater attacking intent before the break. Dutch defender Damion van der Kaap tested the goalkeeper with a powerful strike in the 36th minute, while Anwar El Ghazi failed to convert a dangerous delivery from Hadi Ali just before halftime as Umm Salal held their lead.
The visitors resumed strongly after the interval and almost equalised in the 52nd minute when Brazilian forward Cristian Dal Bello unleashed a fierce shot that was parried by goalkeeper Luay Sharif. Umm Salal replied three minutes later through Ivorian midfielder Jean Ahoulou, whose long-range effort sailed over.
Al Sailiya increased the pressure in the closing stages. El Ghazi sent a shot narrowly wide in the 63rd minute and then forced a save from Sharif in the 70th.The equaliser nearly arrived in the 77th minute when El Ghazi squared the ball to the edge of the area, but Abdulrahman Mohammed’s powerful strike rebounded off the post.
Dal Bello squandered a final chance in stoppage time, heading just wide from close range, as Al Sailiya were denied a share of the points.The final whistle confirmed a hard-fought victory for Umm Salal, who claimed all three points thanks to Perez’s solitary goal.
