Doha, April 07 (QNA) - The matches of the 21st and penultimate round of the Qatari Football League (QFL), the Doha Bank Stars League, will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, with six matches to be played simultaneously, amid intense competition on all fronts: for the title, the top four, or to avoid the playoff and relegation.
The Qatar Stars League decided to hold the matches of the penultimate and final rounds at the same time to ensure fairness, in light of the overlapping team results and their direct impact on the various ranking positions.
All eyes are on the increasingly heated title race between leaders Al Sadd and their pursuer, Al Shamal, with a difference of only two points in favor of Al Sadd. Al-Shamal enjoys a relative edge, having a postponed match in the 17th round against Qatar SC yet to play.
League leaders, Al Sadd, with 39 points, will meet Al Sailiya at Al Bayt Stadium, are looking to regain their winning streak after stumbling in the last three matches with two losses and a draw in order to reach 42 points, which will enhance their chances of winning their third consecutive title.
Meanwhile, second-to-last Al-Sailiya, with 19 points, is seeking a positive result to move to a safer position away from the playoff and relegation zone, a possibility that remains as they still have a postponed match from the 17th round with Al Arabi.
According to the league system, the last-placed team is relegated directly to the second division, while the 11th and penultimate-placed teams play a playoff match with the second-tier runner-up for a seat in the first division.
In turn, Al Shamal, who are in second place with 37 points, are looking to continue their victories when they meet Al Shahaniya at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium to enhance their chances of winning the club’s first-ever league title, a possibility if they win the postponed match against Qatar SC scheduled for April 13, regardless of the result of the Al Sadd and Al Sailiya match, by reaching 43 points. On the other hand, Al Shahaniya, who are last with 17 points, will be required to win to move away from their current position at the bottom of the standings, which leads directly to relegation to the second division.
In another match, Al Gharafa, who are in third place with 34 points, will defend their remaining hopes of competing for the title when they face eighth-placed Al-Wakrah, with 26 points, at Stadium 974. The loss suffered by Al Gharafa in the last round against Al Duhail had complicated their chances of reaching the title; now, they need to win the last two matches, while Al Sadd will be required to lose their remaining two matches, and Al Shamal needs to not exceed 39 points. Yet, Al Wakrah enters the match without pressure, as it is far from the last places.
The round will witness a promising confrontation between Al Arabi, who is in fifth place with 31 points, and Qatar SC, who is in seventh place with 28 points, at Al Thumama Stadium, in a match during which the two teams seek to break into the first four places, qualifying for participation in the Qatar Cup. Both teams have a postponed match from round 17, where Al Arabi will meet Al Sailiya, and Qatar SC will meet Al Shamal on April 13.
In another match, Al Rayyan will host Umm Salal at Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium, amid the need for three points to consolidate its fourth place, which it currently occupies with 32 points. The match is of great importance to Umm Salal, who are 10th with 20 points, as part of its goals to be safe from playing the decisive match and direct relegation.
In the last match, Al Duhail will meet Al Ahli at Khalifa International Stadium, in a match that is of great importance to both teams. Al-Ahli, sitting ninth with 20 points and ahead of Umm Salal on goal difference, is in urgent need of points to avoid slipping into relegation or a playoff match. On the other hand, Al Duhail, in sixth place with 30 points, aims to advance in the standings based on mathematical chances of competing for one of the top four spots to qualify for the Qatar Cup. (QNA)