Al Sadd beat Al Ahli Doha 3-1 in the Star League on Friday evening, extending their unbeaten run to two games. The hosts took all three points at home in the opening round of the regular season, with A. Afif, Claudinho and Pedro Miguel finding the net before E. Exposito pulled one back late on from the penalty spot.
And here's the thing about the first half: Al Ahli Doha had the better spell of possession, but Al Sadd were more dangerous in the moments that mattered. Giovani missed a penalty in the 35th minute, which should have levelled things, but Al Sadd hit back immediately. Claudinho put them ahead in the 44th minute before Pedro Miguel scored just before half-time, and by then the visitors had already shown they could not handle the pressure.
Al Sadd controlled the tempo through their midfield, completing 348 passes compared with 323 for their opponents. They created seven big chances while Al Ahli Doha managed three, and that difference in quality showed in the final scoreline. The visitors did win more tackles—18 to 13—but they could not convert their dominance into goals.
The statistics tell a straightforward story. Al Sadd registered seven shots on target from 16 attempts, while Al Ahli Doha hit the woodwork less often but wasted more opportunities. Both sides had one yellow card between them, with G. Al Minhali and M. Barsham booked for the visitors. Al Ahli Doha earned more corners—10 to 3—but could not turn that into sustained pressure.
Al Sadd now sit top of the table with six points from two matches, having won both games. Al Ahli Doha remain in sixth place with four points from three outings, and this result will make life awkward for them going forward. The hosts held on grimly after the penalty goal, and the three points keep their perfect start intact.