Al-Gharafa beat Al-Shahania 2-1 in the opening round of the Star League on Thursday evening. The hosts took all three points at home, though the result was far from straightforward. Three goals came from two players, and the visitors pushed hard until the final whistle.
F. Magri opened the scoring in the twenty-third minute with a well-taken goal. Al-Shahania responded with increased pressure, and M. Muniesa picked up the first yellow card in the thirty-second minute. The visitors had more attacks overall, but the hosts held their shape.
Just before the break, F. Antonucci converted a penalty in the forty-fifth minute plus four. The visitors should have too much for them at that stage, but Al-Gharafa kept their heads. By then, four yellow cards had already been shown, with K. N'Diaye joining the list in the forty-fifth minute plus two.
The hosts ended a barren spell in the ninetieth minute plus two when Magri struck again. Al-Shahania made several changes in the final minutes, bringing on J. El Jemili and Y. Brahimi in search of an equaliser. The visitors pressed high up the pitch, but the score held.
Al-Gharafa dominated possession at 54 per cent and registered eight shots on target from twelve attempts inside the penalty area. Al-Shahania created three big chances but could only convert one, with six shots on target from nine attempts. The visitors had more attacks overall at 93 to 77, but efficiency decided the outcome.
The result keeps Al-Gharafa in eighth place with two games and three points. Al-Shahania remain ninth after three matches, also on three points but with two defeats. The hosts will look to build momentum, while the visitors have one foot in the next round only if they find consistency.