Stunning wins from Al Khor and Al Shamal that saw them down Al Duhail and Al Wakrah respectively, made for an eventful week in the Ooredoo Stars League.

If Al Duhail do not end up as the champions of the ongoing Ooredoo Stars League season, Saturday’s 2-1 defeat against a newly promoted Al Khor side will perhaps be pinpointed as a watershed moment.

Not that the loss late in September against another promotion winner Al Shahania was less shocking, but the defeat puts rivals Al Sadd within touching distance of the league leaders — something that looked unlikely even until recently.

Goals from Ahmed Hassan Al-Mohannadi and Ruben Semedo at either end of the break were sufficient for Al Khor, who had been winless so far in the season and are still at the bottom.

Although Al Duhail’s star playmaker Edmilson Junior pulled one back in the 72nd minute, the minnows were able to hold on to the lead, despite keeping only 27% possession throughout the match.

Spanish midfielder Luis Alberto, the side’s premium signing, missed the opportunity to equalize in the 84th minute, missing a penalty.

“This defeat is entirely our fault,” Al Duhail head coach Christophe Galtier said after the defeat.

“The match was a great opportunity to increase the gap with our direct competitors for the top of the table, but it seems that my warnings to the players were not taken seriously as they should have been.”

Al Duhail are now three points ahead of defending champions Al Sadd in the table — the closest the latter have come after an abysmal start to the season.

Al Sadd survive high flying Al Ahli

If a recent run of form was an encouraging sign for Felix Sanchez’s Al Sadd, Saturday’s clash against Al Ahli at the Al Thumama Stadium was definitely a reality check.

Igor Biscan’s side have been the revelation of the season so far and the 2-2 draw against the defending champions have now taken them level on points.

Two goals each from Julian Draxler and Akram Afif at either end defined the stalemate. Afif was first on target for Al Sadd in the 13th minute, before Draxler equalized in the third minute of injury time before the break.

Al Ahli had a chance to get an equalizer much earlier on, but Sekou Yansane failed to hit the target from the penalty spot, only seven minutes after Afif’s goal.

Draxler, however, picked up from where he left to put Al Ahli forward just seven minutes into the second half, off Yansane’s assist.

It was, however, Afif’s moment to shine just a minute before the hour mark, as the Al Sadd talisman rescued his side yet again – a sight everyone has become eerily accustomed to by now.

While a win would have reduced the deficit with Duhail, who went on to lose later, Al Sadd will walk out happy with the draw, especially against a side packed with revelations in the ongoing season.

Al Shamal and Umm Salal get stunning wins

Equally impressive over the weekend were Al Shamal and Umm Salal with convincing wins that felt similar to each other in many ways. First, the scoreline in both occasions was 3-0. Second, both were in much need of it. Third and most importantly, both downed heavyweights.

Baghdad Bounedjah led the charge again to take his goals tally to 11 this season in Al Shamal’s 3-0 win against Al Wakrah.

While Mohamed Rafik Omar’s goal on the stroke of halftime gave Al Shamal a two-goal cushion, Suhaib Gannan’s goal late in the injury time of the second half all but took the game out of Al Wakrah’s reach at the Al Janoub stadium.

With the win, Al Shamal are now fifth in the points table, two more than Umm Salal, makers of another stunning win on Sunday.

At the Al Thumama Stadium, Umm Salal beat Al Arabi 3-0, capitalizing on a high-tempo start that saw them score all three in the first half itself.

Kenji Gorre scored with just four minutes on the clock, followed by Antonio Mance’s 27th-minute striker, made better by his striking partner Oussama Tannane’s goal eleven minutes later.

Elsewhere, captain Ferjani Sassi’s brace helped Al Gharafa secure a 4-2 win against Al Shahania to climb to the fourth spot in the table, whereas Roger Guedes and Mahmoud Trezeguet scored in Al Rayyan’s crucial 2-1 win against Qatar SC in the eleventh gameweek of the ongoing season.