QNB Stars League Week 8: Al Gharafa 0 Al Wakrah 1

Doha, November 01 (QNA) - Al Wakrah defeated Al Gharafa 1-0 in Week 8 of the 2021-2022 season QNB Stars League at the Al Gharafa Stadium on Sunday. Substitute Abdulghani Muneer scored the winner in the 66th minute. Al Wakrah and Al Gharafa thus kept the fourth and fifth position with 15 and 12 points respectively. It was Al Wakrahs fourth victory and Al Gharafas fourth defeat. Al Wakrah, who drew goalless with Qatar SC in the previous round, got back to winning ways, whereas Al Gharafa, who defeated Al Khor by a 5-0 margin in Week 7, suffered a setback. Both Al Gharafa and Al Wakrah were on 12 points going into the match and the victory has given The Blue Wave an advantage over The Cheetahs. Play was even in the first half, defensively and offensively, and each team had their share of chances, with Mohamed Benyettou and Cheick Diabate leading the attacks of Al Wakrah and Al Gharafa respectively. Al Wakrah seemed more dangerous at the beginning of second half, with Benyettou testing the rival defence. Al Wakrah surged ahead through Abdulghani Muneer who found the back of the net with a superb long-range shot. Al Gharafa threw their everything in quest of an equaliser that did not happen. The closing minutes saw Al Gharafa make desperate attempts at the goal. Ahmed Alaaeldins back-heel off a Sofiane Hanni cross from the right hit the left upright and the ball rolled out. Diabate came close the next minute, but could not control the ball in front of the goal. The tall Malian striker then had his shot go wide of the target. The immediate counter-attack saw Al Wakrahs Omar Ali miss the mark narrowly after being put through by Ismail Mahmoud. Hanni skied the ball towards close, summing up Al Gharafas bad luck. The eighth round started Saturday, and witnessed four matches that ended with Al Arabi beat Al Rayyan 2-1, With the same result, Al Duhail beat Qatar, Al Shamal overcame the Al Khor 4-0, and Al Sadd beat Al Ahli 4-1. (QNA)