Qatar Sports Club’s chances of survival in the Qatar Stars League where handed a major boost yesterday evening when they defeated high-flying Al Gharafa 3-1 at Al Ahli stadium.
Qatar SC had a dream start to this must-win match as they registered their first goal early with Ali Awad finding the net in the twelfth second.
Awad was left with an easy tap-in after Abdullah Alawi’s quick cross found Carando, who relayed the ball into the Al Gharafa box.
Carando then doubled the lead for the Kings in the 33rd minute. Khalid Mahmoudi made a diagonal run into the Gharafa box piercing through the defense and then passed to Carando, who was left unmarked. At the second time of asking, winter signing Carando slotted past Gharafa keeper Abdulaziz Ali to give the Kings a vital two goal cushion.
 Al Gharafa found their way back into the tie moments later. Mohammed Razaq took advantage of a horrendous goalkeeping mistake, to score the goal. The goalkeeper mishandled the ball which was coming in as a hopeful cross and punched in to the path of Razaq who scored after it kindly fell to him.
 In a nervy second half Ali Said kept his cool and put the game to bed for Sebastiao Lazaroni’s side in the 87th minute. The 22-year-old scored the winner to bring the final score to 3-1 in favour of the Kings putting the three points beyond the reach of Al Gharafa. The well positioned midfielder put it past Abdulaziz Ali in the Gharafa goal from a curling right footed effort into the back of the net.
 With Al Kharaitiyat also winning tonight means that Qatar SC are in the relegation zone by one point. The Kings will have to hope Kharaitiyat drop points in the final game of the season in their tie against Umm Salal, whilst the Kings will have to better the result against Al Wakrah, if they are to stay in the QSL for another season.
Earlier, Al Khor and Al Sailiya played out a 2-2 draw at the Al Arabi stadium.
It didn’t take long for Sailiya to get one on the score sheet as Abdulrahman al-Hirazi opened the scoring for Sailiya in the fourth minute of the game. The goal came after Carlos Preciado’s curling shot came off the post into the path of al-Herazi who launched it into the back of the net.
 In the thirty seventh minute Al Khor levelled the score courtesy of a headed goal by Naif al-Buriki. Marco Antonio provided a perfect assist for the unmarked Naif to score from a free header.
Moments later Faouzi Aaish restored Al Sailiya’s lead with a thunderous finish. The Bahraini received the ball in the box with a good first touch and sent the ball into the net with a powerful left-footer
Mustafa Abdelahmed conceded an own goal in the fifty eighth bringing the score line to 2-2. The midfielder was in the wrong place at the wrong time as he put the ball into his own net trying to head it out from an Al Khor corner.
The result leaves Al Khor in 10th place with 30 points and Al Sailiya in 8th with 33.
Meanwhile, relegated Mesaimeer claimed only their sixth point of the season thanks to a morale-boosting goal-less draw with Al Arabi.
 Rodion Gacanin’s men have endured a miserable maiden campaign in the QSL but showed plenty of spirit against the Dream Team at Grand Hamad Stadium. This performance alone shows that Mesaimeer may have the quality required to bounce straight back to the QSL next season.