Ooredoo Stars League: Umm Salal Beat Al Shamal 3/2 in Week 2 Opener

Umm Salal vs Al Shamal

Umm Salal prevailed over Al Shamal 3-2 in a fiercely-contested Week 2 match of the 2024-2025 season Ooredoo Stars League at the Al Janoub Stadium on Friday.

It was the first win of the league championship for The Orange Fortress and the first loss for Al Shamal, who had shocked defending champions Al Sadd in the opening round.

Captain Victor Lekhal scored a brace for Umm Salal (seventh and 28th minute), while Antonio Mance added the third goal for his team in the 46th minute. Al Shamal's goals came through Baghdad Bounedjah (81st-minute penalty and 90+7 minute).

Umm Salal seized an early initiative as Khalaf Saad broke through from the right and provided a cross for Lekhal to reach for with a stretched right leg and the half bicycle sort of kick deceived goalkeeper Babacar Seck to his right.

Al Shamal tried to retaliate in the 10th minute, but a Bounedjah header was staved off by Umm Salal goalkeeper Loukay Sherif's long stretched left hand.

Umm Salal dealt a second blow soon and from a free-kick. Oussama Tannane, who took the kick from about 20 yards outside the box on the left, sent in a perfect ball for Lekhal to find while breaking away from the pack on extreme right. The unmarked Lekhal headed-in strongly and the ball hit the inside of the crossbar before rocketing in.

Al Shamal tried to hit back as, in the 35th minute, Bounedjah overlapped a defender to win the ball but his attempt to cross the ball inside the box was cut off.

Soon after the half-time break, Umm Salal added more to the rivals' plight.

This time, Tannane had the Al Shamal defence caught in a cat-and-mouse game as he beat three defenders to pass the ball to Lekhal to score with his left foot into the left corner (3-0).

Al Shamal tried to make amends, but all their attempts kept getting foiled by the strong defence of Umm Salal.

Three minutes later, Al Shamal again attempted a breakthrough, but this time Faisal Azadi's strike was cut off by goalkeeper in front of the left post.

Al Shamal finally had reward for their efforts in the 81st minute winning a penalty after Fahad Waad was brought down inside the danger area by Khalaf Saad.

Bounedjah made no mistake from the spot and Al Shamal made it 1-3.

With time now running out, Al Shamal continued to attack and succeeded a second time in dying minutes of added time, with substitute Omar Mohammed breaking in from the right to provide Bounedjah with an assist to score (2-1).

Al Shamal had 68 per cent possession of the ball in the match, while Umm Salal were more precise both in their attack and defence.

(QNA)