DOHA, Feb 26 (Reuters) – Competition intensified in the 49th edition of the Saleh Saqr Ramadan Championship as Al Shaqab Club became the first team from Group C to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the prestigious tournament held under the supervision of the Qatar Football Association and the Qatar Stars League.
The annual Ramadan event has entered its decisive stages, with recent matches highlighting its strong organisation, large fan turnout and high technical standard.
Al Shaqab booked their knockout berth with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Al Mansoura in a closely contested encounter that remained in the balance until the closing minutes.
Aziz Fawzi scored the only goal of the match in the 47th minute after a goalless first half in which both sides created chances but failed to convert. Al Shaqab signalled their intent early in the second period, missing a penalty before maintaining sustained pressure that eventually paid off with the decisive strike.
The team’s performance was backed by strong administrative support, with club president Sheikh Thani bin Abdulaziz Al Thani present in the stands, providing a visible morale boost as Al Shaqab delivered a disciplined display to confirm their qualification.
With the victory, Al Shaqab underlined their title ambitions, benefiting from cohesion within the squad and stability at both technical and administrative levels as the knockout rounds approach.
In the second match, India’s MBAs continued their impressive run with a 3-1 win over Ansar Gallery in an open and fast-paced contest.
Mohammad Shamliq led the charge with two goals before adding a third to seal the result and strengthen his side’s position in the standings. Osman Jannu pulled one back for Ansar Gallery, but MBAs maintained control to see out the match comfortably.
The tournament resumes on Thursday with Petre facing Gambia’s Eagle in a clash expected to be evenly matched, while Kena FC take on Msheireb FC in another key fixture as teams battle for remaining qualification spots.
Now in its 49th edition, the Saleh Saqr Ramadan Championship continues to reinforce its reputation as one of the leading football competitions during the holy month, combining tradition, competitive quality and strong public support.
