Second division champions Al Sailiya will be the only team climbing to the Ooredoo Stars League next season.
Khaled Abdelraouf’s stunning extra-time goal brought Umm Salal to victory over Al Markhiya 2-1 in the 2024/24 Ooredoo Stars League play-off on Monday, helping the team stay in the Qatari top-flight for the next season.
Delayed yet ecstatic celebrations followed at the Al Bayt Stadium when the goal was allotted after a lengthy VAR check for a possible foul.
Croatian forward Antonio Mance opened the score for Umm Salal in the 22nd minute but that lead was taken in the second half by goal from Al Markhiya’s Marwan Loudani.
“We had some chances in the first half, but the focus was on defensive organisation and making use of counterattacks,” Abdelraouf said in the press conference after the match.
Abdelraouf’s goal was another display of a late comeback from the Barzan Falcons, following wins against Al Ahli and Al Arabi, which saw them finish eight points ahead of Al Khor.
“Overall, the season was tough for us, especially in the second half,” Abdelraouf added. Umm Salal had finished seventh just a season before. “We must learn from this difficult experience.”
Al Markhiya, on the other hand, finished second in the second tier, three points below Al Sailiya. Winners of the second division get promoted automatically, whereas the runners-up get a shot against the team finishing second-last in the Ooredoo Stars League to make it to the top flight.
“We respect the strength of Umm Salal, but we have the ambition, confidence, and players capable of making a real difference,” Al Markhiya’s head coach, Sultan Al-Musaifiri, had said ahead of the clash at the pre-game press conference.
Sparks of those ambitions were visible on a couple of occasions as Al Markhiya came close to scoring late in both halves. One of those came in the final minutes of regular time and nearly became the winner.
Al Markhiya had plunged after losing 3-1 against Al Shahaniya in the 2023/24 play-offs.
Contrary to the current one, the next season will have only one team from the second division making the climb following Umm Salal’s gritty win.
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