Doha: With their arch-rivals Al Sadd absent, Al Duhail will begin their hunt for the QSL Cup title as favourites after making a phenomenal start to the new domestic season. The QSL Cup – one of the four major domestic competitions besides the top flight Ooredoo Stars League (OSL), the prestigious Amir Cup and the Qatar Cup – will get underway tomorrow with 11 teams competing for the crown. Christophe Galtier’s Red Knights stormed to the OSL lead after claiming three victories on a trot including a 4-0 drubbing of Al Rayyan.
Al Duhail will begin their campaign with a clash against Qatar SC at Thani Bin Jassim Stadium tomorrow. They had thrashed them 6-1 win in their league match earlier this month. The tough Group A also comprises Al Rayyan, Al Arabi, Al Ahli and Al Shahania.
The opening match of the tournament will be played between Al Rayyan and Al Shahania tomorrow while Al Arabi and Al Ahli will also face off on the inaugural day. The first round of Group B matches will be played on Saturday with Al Wakrah meeting Al Khor before title holders Umm Salal square off with Al Shamal. The Orange Fortress had defeated Al Arabi on penalties in the final last season to win their maiden title.
Pedro Martins’ Al Gharafa are the other side in Group B that comprises five teams as Al Sadd skipped the tournament like the previous edition. The competing teams will miss players who are on national duty in the opening round. Al Duhail will be without eight Qatar internationals including striker Almoez Ali who is part of Marquez Lopez’s 26-man squad preparing for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers against the UAE and North Korea early next month.
Al Rayyan, Al Arabi, Al Duhail, Qatar SC, Al Ahli, Al Shahania Al Gharafa, Al Wakrah, Umm Salal, Al Shamal, Al Khor.
