Al Thaid — City: 5:1, Division 1

Al-Tha'eed hammered City 5:1 in the second round of Division 1 on Thursday evening, a result that leaves the hosts breathing easy while the visitors find themselves in deep trouble already. To be fair, the gulf in quality showed from the first whistle, though neither side expected this particular demolition. The home side took control early and never looked back.

Gregory opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the twenty-first minute, and City had barely recovered when S. Bahi doubled the advantage six minutes later. Anderson Junior made it three in the fifty-seventh, and by then the game was effectively over. Tamboura added a fourth in the eighty-seventh, while Ahli and El Hmidi found the net in stoppage time to finish the job.

The visitors looked shell-shocked throughout, with El Hmidi's late consolation offering no real comfort. They cannot afford another slip, and at this rate they are looking at relegation before the season has properly begun. Al-Tha'eed, meanwhile, have already shown they can spring a surprise against higher-ranked opponents.

With four points from two games, the hosts sit third in the table while City languish at the foot of the standings with zero points from their opening fixtures. The gap is already significant, and the home side are in control of the tie — or at least, the season.