April 5 – Al Sadd and their star midfielder Xavi Hernandez have been crowned champions of Qatar after a mammoth 7-2 win over Al Ahli to take an unassailable lead in the Qatar Stars League.
Second placed Al Duhail went down to Al Kharaitiyat 1-0, allowing Al Sadd to race clear at the top of the table on 54 points, seven more than Al Duhail, with just one round of matches to go in the league.
It was Algeria international Baghdad Bounedjah who led his team to the league title as he scored a hat trick. He is now on 39 goals from 21 matches in the QSL.
Qatar national team captain Hassan Al-Haydos also scored a brace. Akram Afif and Korea Republic international Jung Woo-young popped up with a goal apiece to complete the rout.
For Al Sadd, the win marked a 14h domestic crown, making them the most successful club in Qatari history by a distance. However, the league title came after a six-year wait. They had last won the league in the 2012-13 season.
The league triumph was also a 32nd trophy for Spanish midfielder Xavi, who has completed a clean sweep of domestic titles in Qatar, having won the Emir’s Cup, Qatar Cup and Sheikh Jassim Cup previously. He is due to take over as coach of Al Sadd this summer.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1714419943labto1714419943ofdlr1714419943owedi1714419943sni@o1714419943fni1714419943
