Doha, April 19 (QNA) - The Ooredoo Stars League 2024/2025 season concluded with Al Sadd securing the championship for the second consecutive year, marking its 18th league title overall. Meanwhile, Al Khor bid farewell to the top division, relegated to the second tier after finishing last, while Al Sailiya earned promotion by winning the second division championship.

Al Sadd ended the season atop the standings with 52 points, two points ahead of runner-up Al Duhail, and 11 points clear of third-placed Al Gharafa. The champions boasted the best offensive record with 62 goals and held the second-strongest defense, conceding 23 goals across 22 matches. Star forward Akram Afif, Qatar’s national team striker and 2023 Asian Player of the Year, emerged as a standout performer, netting 18 goals this season.

Spanish coach Felix Sanchez guided Al Sadd to victory, mirroring the achievements of his compatriots Xavi Hernandez in 2020/2021 and Javi Gracia in 2021/2022. Despite initial setbacks that saw Al Sadd drop to seventh place, Sánchez leaned on the attacking duo of Akram Afif and Spanish striker Rafa Mújica, who jointly contributed 36 goals.

Al Duhail, under French coach Christophe Galtier, aimed to reclaim the title but fell short, finishing second with 50 points. In contrast, Al Khor endured a difficult season, suffering 15 defeats and accumulating only 13 points, officially sealing its relegation.

Elsewhere, Al Rayyan secured fifth place with 33 points after defeating Qatar SC, while Al Gharafa maintained third place despite a 2-1 loss to Al Shahaniya. Umm Salal will now face Al Markhiya, the second division runner-up, in a playoff match on April 28 to determine the final team in next season’s top division.

Round 22 of the Qatar Stars League (Ooredo Stars League) witnessed a total of 14 goals scored, averaging 2.3 goals per match, a decline compared to the previous round’s 17 goals.

The round concluded with six teams securing victories, while no matches ended in a draw. Teams like Al Sadd, Al Duhail, Al Shamal, Umm Salal, and Al Rayyan kept clean sheets, while Al Khor, Qatar SC, Al Arabi, Al Ahli, and Al Wakrah failed to score.

The round also saw 27 yellow cards issued, along with one red card given to Al Arabi's Abdullah Al-Muraisi.

Across the 132 matches played this season, 442 goals were scored, averaging 3.3 goals per match. A total of 536 yellow cards, 28 red cards, and 58 penalties (42 converted, 16 missed) were recorded.

Notable scorers included Antonio Mance (Umm Salal), Julian Draxler (Al Ahli), and Joselu (Al Gharafa), each with 10 goals. These statistics highlight an exciting and competitive season as the league continues to deliver thrilling football action. (QNA)