Al Gharafa score 2-0 win over Al Kharaitiyat

Al Gharafa defeated Al Kharaitiyat by two second-half goals in Week 4 of the 2020-21 season QNB Stars League at the Al Gharafa Stadium on Sunday.

Koo Ja-Cheol (67th minute) and Jonathan Kodjia (85th minute) scored the goals for Al Gharafa, who now have nine points. The Cheetahs had earlier beaten Qatar SC 2-0 and Al Arabi 2-1, but lost 1-3 to Al Rayyan.

Al Kharaitiyat remained on three points. The Thunders beat Qatar SC 2-1, but suffered defeat against Al Sadd (1-5) and Al Sailiya (0-2) too.

Ball possession was almost even in the match, where Al Gharafa had an upper hand in terms of the number of chances created. They made good use of the wings, especially in the second half, and were rewarded with the goals.

The barren first half saw chances for either side. Kodjia, Ahmed Alaaeldin, Hanni and Homam El Amin of Al Gharafa, and Evans Mensah and Rachid Tiberkanine of Al Kharaitiyat were off-target.

The breakthrough came when Koo rose above the rival markers to head in a corner kick taken by Sofiane Hanni.

Kodjia made it 2-0 towards the end by applying a first-time shot to Alaaeldin cross.

Kodjia and Hanni combined only to see the latter miss the target by a whisker.

It was a repeat clash of 2020-21 Ooredoo Cup Round 3 match between the teams played on 14th October. Al Gharafa defeated Al Kharaitiyat 3-1.