Lekhwiya winger Vladimir Weiss (left) was the provider for the first goal that his team scored. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil

By Sports Reporter/Doha


Lekhwiya produced a stirring second-half performance to defeat Al Gharafa 4-0 and extend their winning run to six matches. All goals were scored in the second half within a 25-minute interval, with Youssef Msakni helping himself to a brace.
It wasn’t easy going for the defending champions at the Hamad bin Khalifa stadium in this Match of the Week clash. The first half was a scrappy affair with neither team able to dominate proceedings. Gharafa burst out of the blocks and caused some bother to the Lekhiwya defence. In the first minute itself, Fahad al-Shammari forced Lekhiwya keeper Claude Amine into a save.
After the initial scare, Lekhwiya found their rhythm and were more composed. They got a chance through Msakni in the 30th minute but his shot was palmed off by Gharafa keeper Abdulaziz Abdulla. The rest of the half was a patchy affair with neither team able to stamp their authority. The teams went into the break with a total of six attempts of goal between them.
But things changed dramatically in the second half. It began on a sedate note. But in the 55th minute, Lekhwiya mounted a counter attack through their twinkle-toed winger Vladimir Weiss. The Slovakian ran through the centre with the ball and delivered a good pass to Ismail Mohamed who complemented the pass with an effective finish that saw his team take the lead.  
This goal opened up the game and that worked to the advantage of Lekhwiya who were struggling for space earlier on. In the 67th minute, Nam Tae-Hee danced his way inside the box and then crossed to Msakni who headed it in for his first goal of the match.
Ten minutes later, the South Korean midfielder produced a great shot while saw the ball fly into the top corner of the goal. Gharafa keeper Abdulla could only stand and watch the ball go in. Three minutes later, in the 80th minute, Lekhwiya’s Karim Boudiaf opened up Gharafa with a through pass. Msakni got to the end of it and, though his first attempt was saved by Abdulla, the Tunisian was able to find the back of the net with his second.
It will be a confidence-boosting win for the defending champions, especially considering how hard Gharafa made them work for this win. Coach Djamel Belmadi will be happy with the persistence shown by his team. This performance bodes well for a team who were found wanting during the middle of the first half of the season.
Meanwhile, Gharafa will have to figure out a solution to their scoring problems. They enjoyed equal possession in the first half but had just one attempt that looked dangerous. In the second half, though Lekhwiya were able to score four goals, it wasn’t a one-sided affair. Gharafa were creating their chances but they weren’t threatening enough. The drawing board beckons for Gharafa.