Late Drama in the Qatar Stars League: Gharafa, Duhail, and Arabi Turn Round 8 into a Goalfest
25 October 2025
Gharafa vs Al-Ahli
Gharafa secured a hard-fought 3-1 win over Al-Ahli at the Thumama Stadium, moving to 16 points while Al-Ahli remained on six. The second half swung the tie in favor of the winners, with a headed opener from a cross in the 47th minute, followed by a late sequence that sealed the result.
Al-Ahli equalized from a penalty in the 59th minute, but Gharafa hit back in the 63rd minute with a powerful header from a corner and wrapped up the scoreline in the 88th minute when an Al-Ahli defender turned the ball into his own net.
After the final whistle, Al-Ahli coach Igor Biscan lamented: “Our mistakes and gifts to the opposition cost us today; we could have challenged more if our defense and attack had clicked together.” He added that the team must learn a new lesson about competing across all phases of the pitch and avoid repeating costly errors.
Al-Duhail vs Al-Shamal
Al-Duhail claimed a valuable 2-0 victory over Al-Shamal at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium, lifting their tally to 11 points while Shamal stayed on 14. The match opened with a near-moment for the hosts as goalkeeper Burki almost gifted a goal in the 22nd minute, only for the chance to drift wide.
Three minutes later, Krzystof Piatek fired in low after a smart pass from Hamdan Al-Amin to open the scoring. The second goal arrived in the 41st minute when Tahseen Mohammed headed home from a Louis Alberto corner, giving Duhail a comfortable lead at the break.
After the interval, Shamal pressed to level, but chances for Naam Al-Siliti and Mohammed Omar went begging, and a shot from Omar hit the post in the 53rd minute. Duhail later survived a late scare when Benjamin Bourijo missed a penalty in the 87th minute following a save by the Shamal goalkeeper.
Post-match coach Gamal Belmadi said: “We’re happy with the performance and the three points. The win was built on the players’ effort and focus, especially after the disappointment of the previous game.” He stressed the need to keep the same energy in upcoming fixtures.
Shamal boss David Brats added: “We controlled parts of the game but failed to convert chances and suffered from a slow start. We must close the match by learning from our mistakes and pushing on in the next rounds.”
Al-Arabi vs Al-Sadd
Al-Arabi defeated Al-Sadd 3-1 at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium, rising to seven points and climbing temporarily to eighth, while Al-Sadd remained on eight points in seventh. The match began with a strong start from Al-Arabi, who threatened early as Olunga hit the woodwork and Sadd replied with a scoring chance that was also wasted.
Arabi drew level in the first half through Olunga with a well-timed header, and a stoppage-time own goal by Mohammed Khaled gave Arabi a 2-1 lead just before the break. The second half brought more pressure from Sadd, but a red card for Paulo Otávio in the 50th minute, following a VAR review, left Sadd with ten men and allowed Arabi to extend their advantage with a 80th-minute strike from Rodri after a rebound off the post.
Arabi held on to secure a precious win in one of Round 8’s most hotly contested fixtures. Coach Gamal Belmadi praised the collective performance, highlighting discipline and resilience, while Sadd’s David Brats stressed the need for a sharper attack to complement their defense.
And if you think football ever runs out of drama, Round 8 just reminded us: even the VAR cup of coffee can spill a few more goals. Also, if you misplace a defender, the net becomes your new MVP—Most Valuable Pity. And yes, I’ll happily leave the jokes to your local pundits, I’m just the scoreboard with a mic.
