DOHA, Qatar (Interstat) — Al Arabi opened its Stars League campaign with a commanding 4-2 victory over 10-man Umm Salal on Thursday, overcoming an early red card shown to the home side to deliver a potent attacking display at Al-Khwar Stadium in Al Khor.

The match, played on Jan. 29, 2026, defied a pregame projection from Interstat’s simulator, which had forecast a 1-1 draw. The system did, however, give Al Arabi a 61% probability to win, a forecast validated by a second-half goal flurry.

The game’s complexion changed dramatically in the 36th minute when Umm Salal defender Abdulrahman Fayez was shown a straight red card, forcing the home team to play with 10 men for the remainder of the contest. Al Arabi capitalized on the numerical advantage just before halftime. In the 48th minute, midfielder Jean-Eudes Aholou broke the deadlock with a headed goal.

Al Arabi emerged from the break with clear intent and quickly put the game out of reach. Karl Toko Ekambi doubled the lead with another header in the 58th minute, and Isaac Lihadji made it 3-0 just four minutes later with a left-footed strike. The visiting side’s dominance was further cemented in the 69th minute when Naim Laidouni found the net, putting Al Arabi ahead by four goals.

Umm Salal, to its credit, mounted a late response. Substitute Antonio Mance headed in a consolation goal for the hosts in the 88th minute. The match grew increasingly fractious in the closing stages, with three yellow cards issued in quick succession. Umm Salal’s Mohammed Al Naimi and Al Arabi’s Oussama Tannane were both booked in the 83rd minute following a confrontation. Umm Salal’s Abdulla Al Sulaiti received a yellow in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time.

The home side’s difficult night was compounded in the 75th minute when Al Hashmi Al Hussein was sent off with a second red card for the team, reducing Umm Salal to nine players for the final quarter-hour.

With the result, Al Arabi begins its Stars League season with a perfect record of one win and no losses. Umm Salal starts with one loss and no wins. The records for both teams across all competitions this season mirror their league starts.